“In this vast prison that is Gaza, death comes in many forms: by sniper fire, by bombing, by starvation, by lack of medical care, or even from great fear. …We are dying, we are starving.”[1]

These are the words of Aya Al-Hattab, a young Palestinian woman currently living in Gaza. In a published essay, she describes the horrors of living under siege and the collective punishment for a war in which she has no power or stake. Her life—and millions like hers—are literally in the hands of others. Without access to food, water, and medicine, the residents of Gaza are destined to suffer from mass starvation, famine, and violence under a preventable apocalypse.

The Dire Conditions in Gaza

Since the collapse of the latest ceasefire, Israel has taken full control of Rafah, the only remaining point of humanitarian entry at the southern border into the walled-off conclave. The United Nations characterizes the situation on the ground in Gaza as a “worst-case scenario,” including Israel’s continued weaponization of access to food and water as “a war crime.”[2] As the humanitarian crisis grows by the day, so does the cruelty of those who perpetuate the suffering of others.

More alarming is the recent announcement of Israel’s proposed plan to expand its military campaign by capturing and controlling the entire Gaza Strip.[3] Named “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” the plan appears to support the worst fears among regional and international leaders, human rights activists, and humanitarian aid groups. The operation to target Hamas fighters appears to include the forced displacement of civilians, maintaining a total blockade of Gaza, and establishing a permanent security force. Such an operation is also raising talks of widespread regional displacement amounting to what could become an ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people from Gaza, a proposal previously suggested by American President, Donald Trump.[4]

Gideon and the Midianites: A Warning from the Bronze Age

Although the ultimate intentions of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government are not fully known, we may not need to look much further than the very name of the operation. Presumably inspired by an ancient prophet and leader of the Israelites from the mid-12th century B.C., Gideon was one in a series of judges over Israel during their settlement period across Canaan—a region that became commonly known as Palestine—along the Eastern Mediterranean. According to the Old Testament narrative, the Israelites had been chased into the mountains and caves by the Midianites, Amalekites, and “other eastern peoples” who also claimed ancestral rights to the land, including coastal regions as far north as a camp called Gaza.[5]

Gideon was not a trained warrior or particularly influential person in his time. Rather, he was a simple man chosen by God for a herculean task. As the story goes, Gideon questions God, “‘How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest … and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.’”[6]

An account dating back to the Bronze Age is not predictive of current or future events. However, the stories of the past can serve as reminders, motivators, or cautionary tales of what’s possible in the imagination of others. If “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” does assume its name from the biblical narrative, it would be wise to consider the intentionality of Israel’s policymakers and what’s at stake for the people of Gaza.

In the Biblical account, the Midianites were surrounded by Gideon’s small army during the night. Rather than attempt a direct attack where Gideon and his men would have been severely outnumbered, they created a distraction by blowing trumpets, smashing jars, and shouting from all directions, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” In the chaos of the night, the Midianites turned their swords on each other as the rest fled in fear, were chased, and killed by Gideon and other tribal armies of Israel.[7]

The Pathway to Peace Begins with Us

Straight lines from the past do not exist. Just as the world changes, so do people and cultures. Stories and Biblical texts fill in historical gaps, shape religious traditions, and inspire hope. They can also be instructive for modern readers in ways the original authors didn’t understand or anticipate themselves. Today, there is one rational application we can learn from the dramatic battle of Gideon against the Midianites for this critical moment in the Middle East: violence does not establish a just or enduring peace. 

3,000 years later, we’re watching in real-time the horrific suffering of an ethnic people and the hardening of the hearts of those wielding the levers of power and violence for their self-righteous ends. The eradication of the Palestinian people from their homeland is unjust and immoral. Creating a state of chaos and despair through the denial of humanitarian aid, bombing, raids, and intimidation as people suffer a slow and painful death is unconscionable.

Israeli’s, their allies, and friends have endured great trauma since October 7, 2023, by the unquestionable evil acts of Hamas. Justice must be brought by holding those responsible for the terrors of that day and the ongoing crisis of the innocent who have been taken hostage and not yet returned. Devastatingly, the state of affairs has descended into an untenable situation where millions stand to suffer and generations will be lost to the bitterness of hate, violence, and a new “forever war” that no one wants.

The enduring story of Gideon across Jewish and Christian traditions is not his war plans or the ruthless violence he committed against the Midianites and those who stood in his way. Rather, the good, true, and more beautiful picture of Gideon is the story of God using a meek and doubting individual with few resources to create change for his people. The Gideon’s of today don’t need chariots of war, but humble hearts that collaborate toward enduring peace.

We may not have the individual power or influence to dictate a new policy in this region of the world. Even those close to it at times appear apathetic or without agency. However, we can change the course of history together. Demonstrating selfless compassion for others, pursuing just peace, and supporting equitable solutions is the everyday work each of us is responsible for in our families, relationships, communities, and at the ballot box. We can save lives when we stand for lasting hope and change over cruelty and nihilistic ends, even when it feels a world away. Listening to others, believing their stories, finding common ground, and offering forgiveness for wrongs of the past is how we practice faith, inspire hope, and create change—together. 

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/06/israel-starving-gaza-blockade-hunger

[2] https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/05/1162851 

[3] https://www.perplexity.ai/page/israel-approves-plan-to-captur-hLlwMpxESK.XXoQ_JonFWQ 

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/06/palestinians-fear-israel-imposing-gaza-endgame

[5] Judges 6:2-4

[6] Judges 6:15-16

[7] Judges 7:19-21

Hope and Justice For All

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