B’nai B’rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin submitted a letter to The Washington Post regarding its recent opinion piece by columnist David Ignatius that completely ignores Hamas’s role in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In his op-ed, Ignatius effectively absolves the terrorist organization of any wrongdoing by falsely blaming Israel for the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population. Read the full letter below.

From Daniel S. Mariaschin, B’nai B’rith International CEO:

To the editor:

In his column “If Israel doesn’t help Gaza’s civilians, Biden has to stop supplying weapons,” (Washington Post, Nov 12, 2024) David Ignatius doesn’t include one single word about Hamas. He does not mention the 100 hostages still in Hamas tunnels.

How can any discussion of the region not include the terrorists who initiated the situation?

The cause of this tragic situation is Hamas, which has effectively kept the Gaza civilian population as its own hostages since 2005 when Israel entirely withdrew from Gaza. Since then, Hamas has stolen aid meant for civilians, used Gazans as human shields, hidden rocket launchers inside hospitals, schools and mosques and taught Gaza’s children that Jews are vermin. Hamas started the war and prolongs it to hold onto power.

It was Hamas terrorists who launched a barbaric attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. And it is that massacre to which Israel is responding. To this day, Hamas is stealing international aid streaming into the region, denying its own people food and water.

If Hamas surrendered and released the hostages, the war would end today. And somehow Israel is responsible for Gaza’s welfare, rather than Hamas. Will Hamas ever be held accountable for its actions?

Daniel S. Mariaschin, CEO, B’nai B’rith International