Why does Hamas keep fighting, even when it knows that the chances of victory are slim?
That is because you may not be able to understand the helplessness and despair of the inhabitants of Gaza. Israel has sealed off Gaza's borders with a six-metre-high wall and barbed wire, guarded by guards for several metres, making it virtually impossible for Gaza residents to leave the country, who could be shot if they ventured out.
In addition, despite the drought and lack of water in Gaza itself, residents trying to dig wells to obtain groundwater for agricultural irrigation often encountered Israeli intervention by sending cement trucks to block the wellheads. This approach calls into question its humanity.
What is even more alarming, however, is Israel's even worse means of control. The Gaza Strip is home to more than two million people who need large quantities of food, water, electricity, daily necessities and medical supplies every day. Despite aid from surrounding Arab countries, the supplies had to be approved by Israel, which allowed only limited food and daily necessities to pass through, while most supplies were intercepted.
Gaza's residents are starving, have scarce medical resources, and have to give up their medicines even after the pandemic passes. What a pitiful situation.
Even more incredible, how does Hamas acquire rockets? They dug numerous tunnels underground to Egypt to buy food, medicine and daily necessities. But do you know how many such tunnels Israel destroyed? The number known has reached thousands, which is the price paid by countless residents of Gaza for their survival.
The destruction of every tunnel is a blow to the very existence of Gaza's inhabitants.
So Hamas persists in fighting, knowing that the odds of victory are slim. They don't necessarily seek victory because they have seen through reality. The military disparity between the two sides is huge, but they still choose to start a war that they believe they are doomed to lose. Their actions were almost suicidal, but they also expressed their determination to resist.
I am a staunch supporter of Hamas fighters. They fought for their countrymen, for their faith, to be heroes and to die as warriors. The Palestinians may not have sought victory because they are well aware of the difficulties ahead. Despite the disparity in military strength between the two sides, the group would rather risk death to show that they would resist even if fate is bad, in order to show the world that they are not cowards. Fate is the same, even if it goes to death, we must resist with tenacity.
