'Hamas has intentionally engineered a massive national calamity'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Hamas is getting not only what it wants, but is counting on'
Hussein Ibish in The New Republic
"Palestinians should never forgive Hamas for the calamity unfolding in Gaza," says Hussein Ibish in The New Republic. Acknowledging Hamas' "betrayal" of the Palestinian people "doesn't absolve Israel of responsibility" for its own "abuses." But Hamas knew slaughtering civilians in Israel on Oct. 7 would provoke "disproportionate and indiscriminate" attacks on Gaza. Hamas sacrificed "blameless Palestinians" in a cynical bid to dominate the rival Fatah faction in the fight for control over the Palestinian movement.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Home schooling is taking off'
David Strom at Hot Air
Parents are "waking up to how badly public schools are failing," says David Strom at Hot Air. The number of kids being home-schooled jumped 51% in the last six years. Enrollment rose 7% at private schools and fell 4% at public schools. It's clear what's driving the trend. "Public schools are an ideological and academic disaster in most places." Private schools are "veering far Left at a disturbing pace." Home-schooling puts parents in control.
'What's really going on here besides ego and political theater?'
LZ Granderson in the Los Angeles Times
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
At this point, Colin Kaepernick's exile from the NFL "is beyond stupid," says LZ Granderson in the Los Angeles Times. Kaepernick, a gifted quarterback, was forced off the field for kneeling during the national anthem in a "protest against police brutality." But shunning Kaepernick was never about standing up for law and order. Conservatives' willingness to ignore Donald Trump's legal troubles proves it was all just "weaponized" patriotism. It's time to "let Kaepernick compete."
'Wellness influencers pushing "natural" birth control are all over the place'
Jessica Grose in The New York Times
Some people are suddenly ditching highly effective hormonal birth control, says Jessica Grose in The New York Times. One reason: conservative social media influencers are "weaponizing" rare problems to help them push alternatives from "the rhythm method, also known as fertility awareness," to poultices. These ideas have gained traction partly because some medical professionals "downplay the side effects of hormonal birth control methods that many women experience." Avoiding open discussion opens the door to misinformation.
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
Trump soaks up adoration in his made-for-TV Cabinet meetings
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The president's televised sessions have become a platform for his top lieutenants to demonstrate executive flattery
-
'With every technological advance, there are risks'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Can anyone save Jimmy Lai?
Today's Big Question 'Britain's shameful inaction' will mean it's partly 'responsible' if Hong Kong businessman dies in prison
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
America: Are we now living in an autocracy?
Feature 200 days into his presidency and Trump is still deepening his authoritarian grip
-
Red states join in Trump's D.C. crackdown
Feature 1,200 troops arrive in Washington D.C. from six red states