To survey the landscape of malevolence that groups like ISIS and Hamas occupy is to confront an uncomfortable but unmistakable reality: the ideological underpinnings of these organizations, and their resultant atrocities, particularly against women and children, warrant unequivocal condemnation. ISIS, universally acknowledged as a terrorist group, has been rightly vilified for its unspeakable cruelties—cruelties that it justifies through a depraved interpretation of religious texts. Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States and the European Union, shares the ignominy due to its own history of violent tactics and its refusal to renounce violence unequivocally.
It is imperative to recognize that the ideologically driven violence of ISIS and the politically motivated violence of Hamas—though differing in scope and in the specifics of their respective creeds—both result in the debasement and suffering of innocents. Each, in its own way, subscribes to a doctrine, Islamism, that sanctions, either implicitly or explicitly, acts of violence that most shockingly victimize women and children.
One must not shy away from the grim truth: the acts perpetrated by ISIS and Hamas bear the indelible mark of cruelty often reserved for the darkest annals of history. ISIS, with its apocalyptic fervor, has executed acts of unspeakable brutality that seem to be torn from medieval times. Their campaign of terror across Syria and Iraq has included mass executions, sexual enslavement of women, and the indoctrination of children into their ranks, often forcing them to commit atrocities.
Similarly, Hamas has engaged in acts that have resulted in the suffering of civilians, including the documented use of human shields, which is a breach of international law. Their attacks on civilian populations, such as the attacks launched on October 7, targeting Israeli non-combatants, defy the principles of discrimination, one of the bedrocks of the law of armed conflict (International Committee of the Red Cross, 1977 Protocol I).
The kidnapping of women and children, including infants, is a crime of particular cowardice and depravity that both organizations have been accused of. ISIS’s abduction of Yazidi women, selling them into slavery, and the systematic kidnapping and forced conversion of children into child soldiers are well-documented.
With Hamas, the international community faces a complex web of political and ideological motivations, but the fundamental issue of violence against civilians remains clear.
Both ISIS and Hamas, in their pursuit of territorial expansion, display a readiness to exploit historical grievances and religious sentiments to justify their claims and actions. ISIS has been notorious for attempting to establish a so-called caliphate across vast regions of Iraq and Syria, invoking an antiquated and brutal interpretation of Islamic law as a pretext for territorial conquest and egregious violations of human rights, including the systematic abuse of women.
In the case of Hamas, there have been expressions within its political rhetoric that resonate with the same archaic imperial ambitions. For instance, statements made by some of its members have included references to Andalusia—modern-day Spain— and Rome (Italy) as regions to be reclaimed, reminiscent of a past Islamic empire that once extended into parts of Europe.
The rhetoric of historical conquest expressed by Hamas has typically been interpreted as ideological bravado rather than a blueprint for concrete military campaigns, particularly those extending beyond its immediate geographical focus. However, the upsurge of violence witnessed in Western cities, attributed to or inspired by groups like Hamas, signals a worrying shift. This trend suggests that what was once considered mere propaganda could indeed manifest into tangible threats against Western democracies.
This change is reflected in recent violent incidents which show that the threat from these organizations can no longer be relegated to distant lands or dismissed as empty threats. These events are a stark reminder of the potential for extremist ideologies to inspire violence globally. Although Western state officials may have previously underestimated or not openly acknowledged the possibility of such ideologies posing a direct threat to domestic security, these developments demand a reassessment of such stances. The escalating violence is not just a wake-up call but a clear indication that these ideologies can influence individuals or groups to carry out acts of violence in Western nations, underscoring a need for vigilant security measures and preemptive action.
The destructive impact of this rhetoric and the actions that follow cannot be overstated—women and children often suffer disproportionately in the ensuing conflicts, whether in the form of direct violence or as collateral damage in broader geopolitical struggles. Such terror groups, by clinging to and propagating extreme views and goals, perpetuate cycles of violence that have lasting and devastating effects on the regions they operate in.
The international community, therefore, has a moral imperative to denounce not only the individual acts of terror but also the very ideologies that spawn these atrocities. It must outvote this ideology with a unified voice, championing the cause of the victims and advocating for the principles of human rights and dignity. Governments, organizations, and individuals must collaborate to dismantle the structures that enable such groups to propagate their doctrines of hate and violence.
The challenge is not merely to pursue these groups with the full force of justice but to undermine the very foundations of their appeal. We must work toward eradicating the poverty, the disenfranchisement, and the ignorance that often serve as breeding grounds for extremism. It is not enough to condemn; one must also comprehend and counter the roots of radicalization. Only through a concerted effort that combines punitive measures with the promotion of education, dialogue, and development can the ideology that underpins such brutality be ultimately defeated.
