In an interview with JNS, former IDF international spokesperson Jonathan Conricus acknowledged what may be one of Israel’s most fundamental strategic misjudgments over the years: the belief that there is a meaningful separation between Hamas and the Gazan population.
For years, Israel — along with much of the international community — operated under the assumption that Hamas was a distinct ruling entity imposed on an otherwise uninvolved civilian population. The idea that “Hamas rules Gaza, but Hamas is not Gaza” shaped Israeli military doctrine, humanitarian policy, and diplomatic messaging.
But does this distinction truly withstand scrutiny?
The October 7 massacre did not emerge from a political vacuum. Hamas did not act in isolation from society. Thousands of Gazans crossed into Israel after the border was breached, took part in the violence, looted Israeli communities, and celebrated openly. The atrocities were met not with mass protest or moral rejection, but with public jubilation, religious framing, and widespread approval.
