A writer claims that “Putting Gaza into context yields unthinkable result” (Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 16). Gaza has a population that has grown from about 300,000 to 2.1 million in some 20 years. Most often writers justifying the criminal terrorist acts emanating from Hamas within Gaza argue that Israel is committing genocide there. This writer blames Israel and the U.S. for Gaza’s population growth due to prison-like circumstances. One can’t have it both ways. Apparently such arguments are formulated on a whatever-works-at-the-moment basis.

The letter writer extrapolates all sorts of devastation imposed on Gazans by suggesting what the numbers of dead would be if Gaza were Oahu. People on Oahu didn’t attack a peaceful neighbor and kill 1,200 people, while taking 250 hostages. Does the writer expect Israel to give Hamas more land so it can grow more people to kill Israelis?

Mathew Sgan

Makiki

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