When Hamas launched its barbaric October 7 assault on Israeli communities, murdering more than 1,200 people, abducting hundreds, and unleashing terror on an unimaginable scale, it set in motion the current war in Gaza. Israel is fighting not by choice but by necessity — a sovereign nation defending its people against an enemy that openly declares its genocidal intent.
And yet, in the eyes of the international community, the focus of outrage has not been Hamas, nor its enablers, but Israel. Every humanitarian shortage, every tragic civilian death, every collapse of infrastructure is laid at Israel’s feet. UN bodies, international media, and activist groups have created the expectation that Israel alone must be responsible for Gaza’s welfare, even as it defends itself against a terrorist organisation embedded within that very population.
This raises a critical question: why is Israel expected to do everything, while Egypt gets away with doing nothing?
Egypt’s Forgotten Role
Egypt shares a border with Gaza at Rafah, and its role in Gaza’s plight has been conveniently overlooked. For years, smuggling tunnels under the Gaza–Sinai frontier were an open secret. Weapons, explosives, and contraband flowed through them, arming Hamas and fuelling the very conflict that now consumes the region. While Egypt occasionally demolished tunnels, it tolerated their existence for years — long enough for Hamas to build a massive arsenal.
Today, Egypt tightly controls the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only border not shared with Israel. If global concern about Gaza’s “blockade” were genuine, Egypt’s policies would be under scrutiny. But the truth is stark: Cairo has kept Rafah largely closed, even during periods of humanitarian crisis, and is currently constructing the largest fortified wall Gaza has ever seen. The wall, which dwarfs Israel’s border barriers, is designed to seal Gaza off completely from Egypt.
And yet — where are the UN resolutions condemning Egypt’s blockade? Where are the international protests accusing Cairo of war crimes? Where are the calls for sanctions? Silence.
The Convenient Scapegoat
Israel is held to impossible standards because it is the convenient scapegoat. The Jewish state is a Western-style democracy that values the rule of law, and that makes it an easy target for international pressure. By contrast, Egypt is seen as too strategically important to confront: it controls the Suez Canal, serves as a linchpin of regional stability, and is an indispensable partner in counterterrorism. Western governments would rather preserve their ties with Cairo than challenge it over Gaza.
Meanwhile, Arab states (including Egypt) find it useful to leave the Palestinian issue unresolved. The Palestinian people are used as a political cudgel against Israel, not a humanitarian cause to be solved. By refusing to accept responsibility for Gaza’s population, Arab regimes can posture as defenders of the Palestinian cause while ensuring that blame falls squarely on Israel.
The Double Standard
The result is a glaring double standard. Israel is expected to:
- Eliminate Hamas’s military capacity, while minimising civilian casualties in one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
- Provide electricity, water, fuel, and medical supplies to a hostile territory controlled by a genocidal terror group.
- Absorb endless international criticism for defending its own people, even after the atrocities of October 7.
Egypt, by contrast, can:
- Build an impenetrable wall on its border with Gaza.
- Refuse to accept refugees, aid convoys, or economic responsibility for Gaza’s future.
- Stand aside while Hamas entrenches itself, and still be praised as a “mediator” in ceasefire talks.
This is not a question of humanitarian principle. It is a question of politics and prejudice. The world’s disproportionate expectations of Israel reveal less about Gaza’s needs than about the enduring narrative that Israel is always to blame.
The Truth About Responsibility
If Gaza’s suffering were genuinely the concern of the international community, then Egypt’s role would be front and centre. Pressure would be placed on Cairo to open Rafah, to share the burden of humanitarian aid, to take in refugees, and to stop treating Gaza as Israel’s problem alone. Instead, global institutions prefer the simplicity of condemning Israel, even when Israel’s enemies are the root cause of the crisis.
This dynamic perpetuates the conflict. So long as the world holds Israel solely responsible, Hamas is shielded from accountability, Arab states escape responsibility, and Gaza’s people remain pawns in a geopolitical game.
Conclusion
Israel did not start this war — Hamas did.
Israel is not responsible for Gaza’s misery — Hamas, and decades of Arab neglect, are.
Egypt, sitting just across the border, has the means to relieve Gaza’s plight but consistently chooses not to.
And yet, only Israel is held responsible.
This double standard should outrage anyone serious about justice or humanitarian principles. Until Egypt, and the broader Arab world, are held to account, international posturing on Gaza will remain not only hollow but actively harmful.
It is time to stop pretending that Israel alone bears responsibility for Gaza. The truth is clear: the world has simply chosen to let Egypt (and Hamas) off the hook.
