The United Nations Security Council recognized an important reality that Israelis have been aware of for some time on Monday, as it approved a U.S.-supported resolution to deploy an international stabilization force to Gaza. The goal is to ensure that the security void that led to the events of October 7 does not reappear.
This development might offer some comfort, but two fundamental truths need to be acknowledged as the future of Gaza is considered. Firstly, Hamas must not be allowed to regain control, and secondly, Israel cannot simply rely on others for its security.
While visiting Israel and Gaza last week, I was reminded of why these points are crucial.
My trip, covering 48 hours and a five-minute drive, took me to the locations central to this conflict and the widespread misunderstandings surrounding it.
The first stop was Kibbutz Nir Oz, where over a quarter of its 415 residents, specifically 117, were either killed or abducted on October 7.
I walked alongside Irit Rahab, who endured a harrowing 12 hours in her home with her daughter, hiding as Hamas assailants repeatedly attempted to break in.
She had jammed a boat oar under the door handle, praying it would withstand their efforts.
Before this attack, Irit was an ardent believer in coexistence.
She, along with her neighbors Chaim Peri and Oded Lifshitz, regularly advocated for the Palestinian people and helped transport sick individuals from Gaza to hospitals in Israel. Both were also kidnapped and taken to Gaza, where they ultimately lost their lives.
“I thought the Palestinians were good people who wanted peace, just like me,” Irit revealed.
“Now we see that there’s real hatred towards us. They view rape, murder, and kidnapping as acceptable.”
Two days later, I found myself in Sajaiyah, a once stronghold of Hamas.
The area resembled a lunar landscape, filled with ruined homes and exposed steel. The only movement came from stray dogs wandering through the devastation.
Even amid all this ruin, the presence of Hamas was apparent.
IDF soldiers in the area mentioned they were still working to uncover tunnels, anticipating that military aircraft would operate beneath the wreckage.
Recently, the body of Israeli-American hostage Itai Chen was discovered here, returned under a cease-fire arrangement.
From Sajaiyah, you could see the houses in Nahal Oz, another Israeli community just a short drive away.
The distance separating Hamas’s headquarters from an Israeli home isn’t measured in kilometers, but in mere minutes.
For years, the international discussion has treated Gaza as a distant issue, something happening “over there,” far removed from daily life “here.”
That perception was shattered on October 7, as thousands crossed the border, some emerging from tunnels originating in the very neighborhood I stood in.
The attacks in Nir Oz and other border areas weren’t random; they were the expected outcome of a heavily armed, ideologically motivated group positioned mere minutes from Israeli homes.
Two years later, the threat remains.
“The only barrier between the Hamas terrorists still present and the Israeli civilians are the IDF soldiers deployed here,” a military officer shared.
While diplomats discuss what “the next day” looks like, reality on the ground tells a different story. Tunnels still exist in Gaza. The stockpile of weapons endures. And Hamas’s ideology remains wholly intact.
As long as this status quo prevails, no international plan can succeed.
This brings us back to the UN stabilization force, whose effectiveness hinges on two main principles.
First, Hamas cannot be allowed to continue holding power.
Tunnels and areas of lawlessness serve as bases for rearmament and impending attacks.
Anything less than dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities runs the risk of repeating the conditions that led to the events of October 7.
Second, Israel cannot defer its security to outsiders.
History has illustrated that international observers and peacekeeping forces have failed to prevent terrorism aimed at Israeli civilians.
Stabilization doesn’t equate to asking Israelis to trust their safety to those who won’t face the ramifications when things go wrong.
As Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed out, “The Israelis don’t wish to govern Gaza. Neither do we, nor does any country in the Middle East. Yet, building that capacity takes time, and security must be provided in the interim.”
Back in Nir Oz, Irit expressed her desire to rebuild the community established by her parents.
However, she also admitted to repeatedly checking the door at night, worried that terrorists might cross the field once more.
The conclusion of a war isn’t merely defined by the absence of missile fire or the approval of a UN resolution.
It will truly depend on whether families in Nir Oz and Nahal Oz, and eventually Sajaiyah, can raise their children without fear.
That day will only arrive if Hamas’s influence is entirely eradicated.
