One such group, Within Our Lifetime in New York, boldly declares, “Resistance has won. Imperialism and Zionism have lost. The Democratic Party has lost. The future of the Zionist state continues to be eroded,” according to leader Nerdeen Kiswani.
In Times Square, the Palestinian Youth Movement announces a rally, claiming that “Palestinians in Gaza have not only survived, but shown the world that they will continue to rise until liberation.” National Students for Justice in Palestine also calls the ceasefire agreement “a step forward on the long, arduous path to Palestine’s inevitable victory.”
But let’s pause and take a hard look at the reality behind this so-called “victory.”
Hamas has paid an astronomical price. The group’s leadership has been decimated, with figures like Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and other senior operatives dead. Over 30,000 Hamas fighters have been killed, causing major damage to the terrorist organization and its ability to function. Entire neighborhoods in Gaza are reduced to rubble, and countless innocent civilians, including children, have perished. Is this truly seen as a triumph for Hamas? Is this what one calls 'victory'?
For the people of Gaza, life has been irrevocably shattered. The region’s already fragile infrastructure lies in ruins—hospitals, schools, and homes demolished. Many residents now live in tents, dependent on increasingly scarce humanitarian aid. What has this devastation achieved? The potential release of a few thousand prisoners, many of whom Israel’s security forces will likely neutralize in the near future.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s ill-fated attempt at solidarity—launching thousands of rockets at Israel—has led to its own undoing. Key leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, have been eliminated, and Lebanon’s crumbling infrastructure has suffered from retaliatory Israeli strikes. Hezbollah’s power base is now in tatters.
Iran, the chief backer of Hamas and Hezbollah, faces internal unrest, international sanctions, and mounting economic instability. Its resources are stretched thin, with its influence in Syria increasingly under threat from Israeli strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure. The Assad regime in Syria is now effectively history, leaving Iranian defenses exposed and nuclear sites vulnerable.
Hamas’ actions have caused untold devastation, not only to Gaza but to its allies and to the future of the region. The toll on Gaza’s civilians, the destruction of infrastructure, and the loss of countless lives all beg the question: what was truly gained in this so-called victory? At what cost?
Hamas and its supporters must ask themselves: What have we truly achieved? What is the future that lies ahead for the people of Gaza, and for the region as a whole? The answers reveal a tragedy that stretches far beyond the bounds of any claim to victory.
Yeshiva World News contributed to this article.
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