In recent months, a growing number of headlines — including some from Christian news outlets — have focused on Israeli military actions in the West Bank, often highlighting civilian casualties without offering the broader context.
If you’re unfamiliar with the geography or the political complexity of the region, start by examining a current map of Israel and the West Bank. What these stories frequently omit is that a significant portion of the West Bank population has expressed open support for Hamas — a group internationally recognized as a terrorist organization.
Rather than citing sources some may claim are biased, I encourage you to search the phrase:
“percentage of West Bankers said they support Hamas”
According to one survey, over 40% of West Bank residents express support for Hamas. With a population exceeding 2.7 million, that means over 1 million individuals may be aligned, at least ideologically, with a group actively engaged in war against Israel.
This complicates the narrative pushed by many media outlets — that the Israeli military is indiscriminately targeting innocents. It’s worth pointing out that, despite the conflict, even sources critical of Israel report approximately 1,000 deaths in the West Bank since the war began on October 7, 2023.
In the context of an active war zone — and a population of nearly 3 million — that figure, while tragic, is proportionally lower than many peacetime death tolls from gang violence in other parts of the world.
We must all continue to pray for peace. And if you haven’t already,
consider making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior today.