An opinion piece published on X on October 14th, 2025, reflects on Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, stating that the opportunity to build a peaceful future was instead used to foster conflict. The author, who published the piece on the social media platform, argues that instead of developing infrastructure and industries, Gaza's resources were directed towards building tunnels, rockets, and militias. The piece, which was published over the past hour and shared widely, posits that Gaza could have become "a Palestinian Singapore" following the withdrawal, with billions in aid and investment promised by the international community. However, the author asserts that this potential was squandered, leading to civil war, executions, and the seizure of power by a terror group, turning Gaza into a "launching pad for endless wars." According to the author's account, the world expected calm and progress after Israel's departure, but instead witnessed internal conflict and violence. The article questions why Israel should cede the West Bank when past land concessions, like the Gaza withdrawal, did not result in peace. The author concludes by lamenting the choice of revenge over life and expresses a recurring question of "What if, just once, we had chosen life instead of revenge?" This commentary emerges amidst ongoing developments regarding the transfer of Israeli hostage bodies from Gaza City. Previous reports from October 14th, 2025, indicated that the Red Cross completed the transfer of remains of Israeli hostages, with vehicles departing the area. These transfers followed earlier confirmations of Hamas releasing bodies to the Red Cross. The Rafah crossing remained closed during this period, a decision attributed to Israel's stance on the return of abductees.
