Only Peace Can Win: Why the Israel–Hamas War Must End Now

 

War is never good.

It destroys property and infrastructure built with great effort and at enormous expense. It takes lives. It displaces people. Families lose their loved ones. Throughout history, war has always brought poverty, displacement, and destruction. Ending war must therefore be the top priority of those engaged in it, for doing so saves lives, money, and resources.

In the case of the Israel–Hamas conflict, the war began with Hamas. And it can only end if Hamas chooses to end it. Neither Trump nor Putin can stop this war. Hamas continues to hold Israeli hostages and refuses to release them. Israel initially attempted negotiations to secure their return, but only partial success was achieved. Meanwhile, devastating damage has been inflicted on the Palestinian people.

As of today, the number of Palestinians killed by Israel is more than 80 times greater than the number of Israeli hostages and those killed by Hamas at the start of the war—and the toll continues to rise daily. Yet Hamas still refuses to release the hostages and bring the war to an end.

Who is benefiting from this war? No one. Everyone is losing. Hamas has lost people and property. Israel has lost lives and resources. Israel continues to burn through ammunition worth millions of dollars just to sustain the fighting. It seems neither Hamas nor its allies truly want peace.

I urge all supporting parties to pressure Hamas to release the hostages and end the war at the earliest. Only then can peace return to the region. Why continue killing, destroying, and displacing people when dialogue could bring an end to the suffering?

Some people seem obsessed with war instead of peace, and that is dangerous. All nations of the world must unite to demand the release of the hostages and help restore peace in the Middle East. The time to act is now. Any delay will only increase the losses—nothing else.

Can Money Really Convert People?

 

The idea that people can be converted from one religion to another simply by being offered money is a common accusation, especially against Christians. But the question remains: can money truly change a person’s faith?

If someone were to offer a large sum of money for conversion, anyone could accept it. Yet no one can see into that person’s heart to know whom they genuinely worship. Faith is not something that can be bought or sold—it is an inner conviction, a personal decision of the heart and mind.

The claim that Christians convert others by offering money does not hold up to reality. In fact, the opposite is true. When someone embraces Christianity after hearing the message of Jesus Christ, they are called to a life of responsibility. The Bible teaches giving through tithes and freewill offerings—not receiving money. Far from financial gain, a Christian is encouraged to live a disciplined life: giving up destructive habits like alcoholism and smoking, learning to care for their family, and respecting others. Often, it is this transformation that leads to financial stability, not external incentives.

If conversion were really as simple as handing out money, then why has it not been used on a large scale by others? Temples in India hold immense wealth—some worth trillions of rupees. If money could truly “convert,” then these resources could easily be used to change the religious landscape of the nation. But history and reality both show otherwise.

The truth is that money cannot convert people; at most, it can buy temporary loyalty. Once the money is spent, such individuals return to their old ways. Genuine faith cannot be produced by financial transactions. It is only God who can transform the heart and mind, leading to real and lasting belief.

In the end, conversion is not a matter of currency—it is a matter of conviction.

Who Really Converts? A Question of Heart and Belief

 

Many people in India, especially Christians, are often jailed on charges of “religious conversion,” mostly in Uttar Pradesh. But my question is: who is actually converting anyone?

I cannot convert a person to a religion. If I had the power to convert people to Christianity, then surely I would have converted all Indians by now! But that is not possible, because conversion is not something a human being can force upon another.

What I can do is share the goodness of Christianity and tell people about Jesus Christ—how He came into this world, died for the sins of humanity, and how God opened a path for mankind to be reconciled to Him through Jesus. This message I can share, but whether a person believes and acts on it lies entirely with the individual.

For example, if someone—let’s call him X—hears the Gospel and feels in his heart that he wants a new life, to follow the teachings of Jesus and live righteously, he makes that decision personally. He chooses to follow Christ and becomes a Christian. Now, can you say that the person who simply shared the message “converted” X? Of course not! That would be ridiculous. X made the choice in his own heart and mind. He converted himself—it was his decision, not the preacher’s.

Think about it: the Hindu-majority party is ruling India today. If conversion were something people could do to others, wouldn’t it be possible to convert all Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs into Hindus? Clearly, that is impossible. Belief is a matter of the heart and mind. Mass conversion simply cannot be done.