We're going to have to agree to disagree. I refuse to believe the mass killing innocent civilians (as collateral damage) is the only option to eliminate Hamas. This most recent conflict has been going on for over a year and an untold number of Gazans have been killed. Hamas is weakened but not fully destroyed. And now Israel is a pariah stare that will have to contend with a generation of young people in Gaza who'll be even more radical and determined to fight. There is a better way.
I'm not one of those types who believe Israel shouldn't exist nor am I a Hamas sympathizer. From strategic perspectice what Israel is doing is disastrous for long term stability and the safety for their people.
THE COMBATANT-TO-CIVILIAN DEATH RATIO IN THIS WAR IS UNPRECEDENTED.
THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REGULARLY QUOTES HAMAS CLAIMS THAT AROUND 48,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN GAZA. THEY OF COURSE DO NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN COMBATANTS AND CIVILIANS.
IF WE ARE, FOR ARGUMENT’S SAKE, GOING TO ACCEPT HAMAS NUMBERS THEN WE SHOULD ALSO ACCEPT IDF NUMBERS THAT THE MILITARY HAS KILLED AROUND 17,000 COMBATANTS (IF YOU ACCEPT A TERRORIST’S NUMBERS HAVE THE DECENCY TO ACCEPT THE DEMOCRACY’S CLAIMS TOO).
WITH THOSE NUMBERS, THE COMBATANT-CIVILIAN DEATH RATIO IN GAZA IS ABOUT 1:1.5 AND LESS THAN 1:2. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EVERY COMBATANT KILLED, AROUND 1.5 CIVILIANS ARE KILLED.
EVERY LOSS OF CIVILIAN LIFE IS TRAGIC, BUT WITH THIS RATIO, NOT ONLY SHOULD ISRAEL NOT BE ACCUSED OF GENOCIDE (THAT’S OBVIOUS), WORLD LEADERS SHOULD BE APPLAUDING THE IDF’S PRECISION-STRIKE CAPABILITIES. AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, ACCORDING TO THE UN, CIVILIANS USUALLY MAKE UP AROUND 90 PERCENT OF CASUALTIES IN WAR. THAT’S A 1:9 RATIO (ONE COMBATANT FOR EVERY NINE CIVILIANS).
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA IS UNIQUE - IT IS A NEW FORM OF WARFARE (URBAN SETTING, EXTENSIVE USE OF HUMAN SHIELDS AND MASSIVE TUNNEL INFRASTRUCTURE) AND STILL THE RATIO IS LOW.
WHAT THE IDF IS DOING WILL BE STUDIED BY OTHER MILITARIES FOR DECADES TO COME. NO OTHER MILITARY IN THE WORLD HAS EVER ACHIEVED THIS.