Hamas are the aggressors in the Middle East

Ted O’Keeffe’s letter (October 3) is extraordinary.

ISIS is responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Yezidi, Christian and Shiite Muslim civilians in Iraq and Syria. The violence has displaced two million people, and so to regard all this as a “distraction” is astonishing. Israel has been criticised for its “disproportionate” response to missile strikes from Gaza. However, those attacks started months before the summer. The Israeli response had no effect in stopping the aggression. Thankfully, there is peace now between Gaza and Israel. The major change has been Hamas’s decision to rein in its militants. That shows clearly who the aggressors are.

Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh