Israel and Hamas provide a brutal lesson in polemology

Polemology, by definition, is the study of war. That pertains to the military, diplomatic, philosophical, social, political, psychological or economic dimensions of human conflict, according to other definitions.

In simple terms, any of those elements aforementioned may contribute to a war, and all that resulting carnage which ends up in the victims' homes or on the battlefield.

Greek historian Thucydides said more than two millennia ago that fear, honor, and interest were the fundamental reasons for all wars.

For the past several days, I’ve been glued to the TV searching for the latest news of the vicious attack by radical Islamic group Hamas and its temporary invasion by terrorists into Israel.

Hamas governs some 2 million Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip. The group has been known as an armed resistance to Israel. Hamas has also called for the total destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic society in historic Palestine.

On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists bulldozed the Israeli perimeter security fence and attacked religious party-goers while raiding and killing many individuals in the villages and homes of Jewish citizens.

Some Israeli soldiers, Americans and others were carted off as hostages — some 150 in number, according to some news reports — as the violent marauders left collateral damage in their destructive path. Over 1,200 people were counted as dead in the early hours of this assault and missile attack; more dead and wounded would be counted later.

Reported USA TODAY: "Hamas' surprise sea, land and air attack resulted in the largest one-day killing of Jews since the Holocaust."

The elderly and bullet-riddled bodies lay on blood-spattered floors and in yards while other horrific pictures of savagery were left behind as some 1,500 terrorists rained down on Israeli homes.

Reports suggest an unborn baby was cut from a pregnant mother’s stomach and placed next to her. Young children, some 40 in number, were found slain in one village, their young bodies mutilated from these vicious demons.

Hamas’ assault and the degree of this attack was never before experienced by Israel. Thousands of missiles were fired into those Israeli towns, villages and cities as the nation was reeling from the velocity and force of this assault.

Hezbollah, meaning “Party of God” and another, Iran-backed Shia armed political group formed in 1982 to fight Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon, was also firing missiles from its northern border.

This human conflict between Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran has existed for many years and continues to fester and prevent any normalization of cooperation or peace in this part of the world.

Israel has declared war on these marauding terrorists and has warned that they "will change the landscape" of the Middle East. An ongoing major attack by bombing of the Gaza Strip is underway, and soon a ground attack will follow.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to destroy Hamas; 250 air strikes within an hour might suggest he is serious.

Electricity, water and food supplies also have been blocked from entering the Gaza Strip while homes and buildings are being systematically destroyed. Many Palestinian casualties have resulted.

The status and fate of the hostages taken by Hamas intruders, which included soldiers, the elderly, women, young people, Americans and injured, are left for an undetermined conclusion. Hamas has threatened to execute them.

The world seems more ripe for more vicious atrocities through these human conflicts in the aftermath of 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq and other skirmishes.

Recently our country, too, agreed to release $6 billion of Iranian funds if that country would release five U.S. citizens who had been detained. Iran has openly admitted in the past that it supports Hamas and Hezbollah, though American officials have yet to draw a direct line between the money and the attack.

Although political pundits in this country assure us that this money, which has not yet been released, will only be used for certain items and not to support terrorism, one might ask the obvious question if Iran doesn’t have to expend resources for these $6 billion purchases, maybe their savings could then be redirected for other reasons like terrorism.

As Israel continues its assault on the Gaza Strip to annihilate the Hamas threat, is it possible that this conflict might expand further as Israel sets out to destroy some Iranian oil wells?

With Ukraine under assault by the Russian government and China beating the war drum in regard to ownership of Taiwan, the globe seems in great distress.

One might only imagine what happens next in regard to another war.

I’m wondering here if America can withstand a third war-like disturbance; the bullet and rocket makers of the world must be having a field day counting their coins.

And maybe that wise question of Rodney King is still relevant on even today’s world stage:

"Can't we all get along?"

Apparently not!

Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Conflict in Gaza Strip leaves more than just human casualties