Yes, the IDF is responsible for the current situation in Gaza, including starvation, fatalities, and humanitarian concerns, as these outcomes are directly linked to the conflict between Hamas and Israel. However, questions remain regarding whether the Israeli government has viable alternatives to military retaliation. This reflects the broader realities of warfare, where innocent civilians often bear significant consequences.
As evidenced by what exactly in Israel? To call this war suggests that there is, infact, conflict. There's no conflict. Hamas can do virtually nothing. They hurt basically nobody. This is just a slaughter.
Israeli government has a duty to protect its citizens, even if that requires engaging in war with another country.
The Israeli government cannot permit a foreign nation or group to launch rockets at its cities repeatedly. Since 2005, more than 20,000 rockets have been fired toward Israel by Hamas. The Israeli government considers it necessary to respond to such attacks, even if these actions result in significant impacts on other regions and populations.
I would suggest that, while 20,000 seems like a terrifying number (and while I personally would rather not want ANY attacks), it could be argued that their impact has been nominal. For instance, I am VERY curious how many of those rocket attacks were actually ANY kind of successful.
By way of example, from 2005-2007 there were about 2700 attacks that led to 4 Isarel deaths.
Shall we compare how many Gazans died due to IDF actions during that time?
In 2005, the Israeli government engaged in negotiations with Hamas and the United States to refrain from entering Gaza and to allow the establishment of a local government. Between 2006 and 2022, during this period, Hamas governed its people, constructed tunnels beneath hospitals, and launched over 20,000 rockets.
During this period, Palestinians lived in poverty and faced food shortages, while international aid continued to be sent to the region. Majority of the aid was used by Hamas for military actions against Israel, rather than being allocated toward humanitarian needs.
Do you have a NONIsraeli based source to support that?
And today innocent Palestinians is suffering because what Hamas did. Israeli government has no choice but to retaliate.
I'm sorry. I never really buy that; not the "no choice". Also, they get 100% authority over what their "retaliation" looks like. I understand the "need to respond"....that that's probably the extent of our agreement on this.
If that retaliation looks like TWENTY times the number of deaths, I'm sorry but I don't accept that that was "their only choice". (374 Isarelis, 7400ish Palestinians fatalities...... OR 6700 Israeli injuries compared to 163,000 Palestinians)
Data on casualties | United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Occupied Palestinian Territory
Play around with the settings, time frames, and locations to get clear ideas of how "slaughter-like" this conflict is as opposed to "war-like".
When Isael passively allows their settlers to terrorize and steal land and houses from Palestinians/Gazans, that is not a NECESSARY "choice". They could choose to respect the boundaries and keep their settlers on the leash some of them seem to need. When there are reports of IDF Soldiers randomly breaking the arms of children while out on patrols. When I first read that report, I nearly threw up and the brutal ugliness that IDF soldiers are willing to stoop to. I have been trying to find that report back but it's tough to find.
Or just poor, poor treatment of children:
Israel: Security Forces Abuse Palestinian Children
