With Israel going completely into a “punishing” mode, the casualties and destruction in its war with Hamas are soaring. The Hamas militant attack on October 7 had killed, as per Israeli claims, at least 1,400 people — mostly Israeli citizens. Hamas has also taken a significant number of Israelis as hostages. And now, in retaliation, Israel has gone onto a rampage through the Hamas-led Gaza Strip, killing at least 3,785 Palestinians through its deadly airstrikes, according to the Hamas health ministry. As Hamas officials take refuge amidst civilian clusters in the Gaza strip, the relentless Israeli airstrikes have made the situation unbearable for the civilians. Amid the conflict between the two warring factions, it is disheartening to note that the innocent civilians have to pay the highest price. The most recent catastrophe in al-Ahli Arab Hospital has shuddered the entire globe. While Hamas blames the Israeli military for an airstrike on the hospital, Israel has floated a counter claim that the death and destruction in the hospital has been caused by a misfired rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The blame game continues even as the toll on Palestinians continues to rise. Interestingly, following the attack, Hananya Naftali — a digital aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — had tweeted that “Israeli Air Force struck a Hamas terrorist base inside a hospital in Gaza.” The tweet was deleted shortly. The Israeli army claims that it “does not target hospitals.” The claim, however, is negated by a World Health Organisation (WHO) report which points out “that there had actually been over 51 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza since the start of the conflict on October 7”. While the Hamas officials claim that around 500 people have been killed in the al-Ahli Arab Hospital, an unclassified US intelligence assessment estimates the number of people killed at the hospital at the “low end of the 100-to-300 spectrum.” It is a great irony that the US, an ardent proponent of democratic values, is supporting a country dropping bombs and airstrikes on another country. At the same time, the US president Joe Biden has convinced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow Egyptian aid into the southern part of Gaza Strip as long as this aid “is not confiscated by the Hamas.” Regrettably, amid these disturbing times, the US appears to balance its geopolitical ties with Israel and the Arab world, even if it comes at the cost of fuelling the war. This humanitarian crisis might not be the best occasion to garner leverages for geopolitical interests! Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister has his own political compulsions. The onslaught of the Hamas on October 7 has stirred a sense of nationalistic fervour in the country. Netanyahu is tempted to fan this nationalistic fervour. Notably, when he allowed Egyptian aid into Gaza on “Biden’s request”, he faced a slight backlash from his own population that is aggrieved by Hamas killings and Israelis held hostage. Amid all this, Hamas certainly is no saint. Despite being aware of the retaliation it could face from the ultra-right government in Israel, it went on a barbarian offensive. And now as Israel strikes back, it hides itself among civilians — allowing them to be massacred! The ignition and escalation of Israel-Hamas war are manifestations of geopolitical manoeuvrings of more than two parties. Unless geopolitical and national interest are kept aside in favour of humanitarian needs, a timely end to the destruction seems improbable. The entire world, instead of standing in support for Israel or Hamas, should extend support and solidarity for the vulnerable civilians. In failing to do so, humans will fail humanity.