In the 1982 graphic novel ‘V for Vendetta’, penned by famous English author Alan Moore, words said by the protagonist particularly stand out: “Beneath this mask, there is an idea, Mr Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof.” This pop culture line feeds well into the very idea of tactically ‘eliminating’ terrorist groups, meaning destroying their leadership, cadres, financial and operational institutions. This is what Israel now aims to do with Hamas. The end of terrorist groups can have multiple meanings to it, but rarely an absolute one. In most cases, terror groups are nimble and adaptable and build themselves around ideological or geographical fault lines. Hamas, founded in 1987, prioritises the path of militarisation rather than political negotiation. Since the terror attack against Israel, Hamas has been equated by both the Israeli government and the United States as an equivalent to the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or Daesh in Arabic) and Al-Qaeda. “Hamas has committed evils that make ISIS look somewhat rational,” US President Joe Biden said upon his arrival in Israel.
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