Gazan civilians are victims in three different ways.
First, they are the victims of Hamas who for some reason thought it was a good idea to attack, murder, rape, and kidnap Israeli men, women, and children in a barbaric convulsion of violence. The Israeli reaction was not just predictable, it was guaranteed.
And Hamas, having embedded its fighters among the civilian population, guaranteed that reaction who kill men, women, and children. Perhaps Hamas leaders were willing to sacrifice innocent lives to stir up hatred against Israel and Jews. Perhaps they thought that tens of thousands of innocent deaths would provoke the Arab world at least to attack Israel. Or perhaps they just didn’t care.
Gaza civilians are the victims of Israel’s heavy-handed response. The Israel Defense Force dropped bombs on Hamas targets in civilian areas, knowing innocents would die. Perhaps the goal was to destroy Hamas regardless of the costs. Perhaps it was to reduce Israeli casualties. Perhaps both motives were in play. Now Gaza civilians are starving because of an artificial famine created by Israel. Israel seems more concerned with starving out Hamas than it does in the threat to civilian lives. And it is doubtful Hamas will care unless it impacts its organization.
And finally, Gaza civilians are victims of their own hatred, born of years of propaganda, including, and perhaps especially, in schools run by a United Nations agency that taught hatred of Jews. Civilians cheered when Hamas fighters returned with their captives, including women still bleeding from being raped, tiny children, and elderly men and women. The Gaza civilians at least tolerated Hamas if not cheering it on. By their passive assent and active hatred of Jews, they allowed this terrorist organization to thrive in their midst. They are now reaping the whirlwind they helped create.
The world turned quickly from sympathizing with Israel to attacking it for its behavior in this war it did not start and did not want. Some of the criticism is justified, but much of it should be turned on Hamas and the Gaza civilians.
Only the children are innocent.
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