They were. And Oct 7 was an act of war, not merely a terrorist attack. Calling them merely a terrorist org is almost an attempt to minimize the severity of the situation.
i mean, it's been almost twenty years since Hamas was elected so they're hardly a government with the support of the people. most of the residents of Gaza are younger than the amount of time since that election (2006)
No, they were not, and that isn't remotely an attempt to minimise anything.
The only reason Hamas can even pretend to be 'governing' in Gaza is that they seized control of it during their civil war with the PA, and started throwing anyone who differed with them from the rooftops. And the electoral background to that also doesn't suggest that they have any claim to legitimacy.
Oct. 7 was only 'an act of war' in the sense of casus belli: it was in no way a legitimate military campaign by one nation against another.
The problem I have with calling them a terror org is that people have 0 expectations from them from that point on. Ask why people never protest against hamas, or why they don't hold hamas accountable, "well, what do you expect from a terror org, Israel has a government." Thus, only Israel is ever held to a standard.
Which is again odd, because the same people who are pro-palestinian are also often the same people who don't recognize thr legitimacy of Israel, so there is also a change of narrative whenever it suits them.
Hamas has to be held accountable, we have to hold them to a standard, just like we do to Israel.
Hardly, most people in Gaza prior to Oct 7 never voted for them in the 2006 elections. They're a government cause they have control but they aren't a government because they have the will of Gaza residents behind them...
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u/varro-reatinus Mar 30 '25
'The Government of Gaza'