Oct 18, 2023, 4:57 PM IST
Hamas enjoys popular support in Palestine, as the organisation stands for the very ideal that people here harbour in their hearts. This was evident when Asianet Suvarna News Editor Ajit Hanamakkanavar arrived at the Al Manara Square in Ramallah. Two young men he spoke to about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict strongly backed Hamas and said that whatever the organisation was doing was right. They fully supported Hamas's actions.
"We love Hamas. All of us are not happy about what's happening with Israel and Palestine. Our heart is with them (Hamas); we will die here. We will not leave this place," one of them said.
Another woman endorsed the collective sentiment among the locals, emphasizing their commitment to remain in their homeland, even as the conflict and adversities persist. It became clear that no matter the challenges, their resolve to stay remains unshaken.
Tempers flared up when questioned about civilian casualties, particularly those involving women and children, as a consequence of actions taken by Hamas.
"Of course not. They just showed it on video. You must understand what happened earlier (than October 7). Even Israel has been killing innocent people in Gaza. If they want Hamas, they should go after Hamas. We support Hamas because we want a solution. Our government is only talking and holding meetings without any solution. It's not working. Talking with America and other countries does not work, as they all support Israel. Therefore, what Hamas is doing is right," she said.
Most Ramallah citizens supported Hamas and its actions. Many residents view Hamas as the beacon of hope and a means to find a resolution. Their discontent was directed towards their own government, which they perceived as ineffectual in diplomatic talks and negotiations, particularly when dealing with nations seen as pro-Israel.
The Islamic countries, too, are facing flak. Palestinians say that while these countries express solidarity through words, their actions often fell short without the involvement or approval of the United States.
"Hezbollah wants to help us, but they should help themselves first. They should take care of themselves before speaking about us," the woman said while also conveying the lack of alternative solutions to address what they perceived as the wrongdoings of Israel.
The frustration in the people's tone grows when asked for solutions. The woman that Asianet News Network spoke to lamented that the 75 years of dialogue and negotiations had achieved minimal progress. Their stand, though, is clear -- this land cannot be shared between two groups.
The woman expressed her view about the military not being the solution to the conflict. "We also love peace. We want to live in peace. That's all. America doesn't love us. They are supporting Israel all the time. Why should we even talk? My only hope is that this war should end and both sides should stop killing people. We want peace," she said.
There are signboards put up at West Bank warning Israelis against entering Palestine. One signboard read, "This road leads to the area 'A' under the Palestinian's authority. The entrance for Israeli citizens is forbidden. Dangerous to your lives and is against the Israeli law."
At the West Bank, unlike Hamas, they want to target Jews with human bombs, knives and guns. Their approach to killing the Jews is very much different as compared to the Hamas militants.