Netanyahu tells Israel ‘We are at war’ after Hamas launches an unprecedented attack, killing at leas

Once again that's another clear example of the misuse of the term "genocide". While a very valid argument can be made that the Israeli bombing (as well as the use of other munitions) has resulted in excessive and tragic collateral damage what Israel has been doing in Gaza is no more genocide that the American bombing of Japan and Germany were during World War II. Hama has uses Palestinian civilians as human shields and considers the creation of martyrdom including the deaths of innocent civilians as a positive outcome. For example of an organization that includes genocide in its charter click on the link below:
Understanding Hamas’s Genocidal Ideology
A close read of Hamas’s founding documents clearly shows its intentions.

 

Dresden, Tokyo, etc were awful then, and would be even more awful now, 80 years later. I think a key difference is that we were fighting opponents with real armies and navies. The IDF is fighting a ragtag bunch of fighters with small arms and RPGs. IMO, saying an atrocity isn't an atrocity because a different atrocity was worse doesn't fly. Also, it's kind of different in that I think Israel hates Palestinians, therefore are fine with the collateral damage. I don't think American's hated Japanese/German civilians. Last I heard, the civilian death rate in Gaza was as high as 92%.

Genocide is such a heavy term. I don't know if I'd use it here, but their actions do seem.. genocide-y. IDF self-reported that the dropped 6,000 bombs during the first week. Reports say that up to 45% of their drops are with unguided bombs. Dropping, say, over 15,000 unguided bombs in one of most densely populated areas on the planet doesn't seem like they have much regard for civilian lives. Cutting off the means of fresh water, food, and power to a nation where half the population are children seems pretty awful. How many hospitals have to bombed, or children left to die in them, before it's too much? How many have to die of thirst or starvation for it to be too much? How many cemetaries have to be bulldozed or dug up? How many universities have to be leveled? Greenhouses destroyed? Water de-salinization plants?

IMO, I think Hamas' tactics of hiding among the population plays into the IDFs hands. To me, I think Israel see's it as the fewer Palestinians left alive, the better.

 

The "ragtag bunch of fighters" murdered 1,400 Israelis including women, the elderly and children" on October 7, 2023 and at least one of their leaders said that the would repeat it again and again and while we were fighting real armies in World War II the overwhelming majority of Germans and Japanese killed in the firebombings of Dresden and Tokyo as well the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were civilians not German and Japanese soldiers. Once again, I agree that while it's time for a real ceasefire what the IDF is doing in not genocide. What Hamas is calling for in its charter specifically the eradication of the State of Israel and Jews every where absolutely fits that definition.

 

I don't disagree with any of that.

I feel like I'm having Deja Vu....

 

The completely destroyed homes and partially destroyed homes are the key metrics. When we think of genocide, we often think of body count. In this case, the bombing campaign is very obviously targeting residential homes. So Israeli can point to a smaller death count as evidence it wasn't a genocide, but the point of a genocide is not necessarily to kill everyone in sight. It's to remove a people from a land.

Most Gazans, while still alive, are without a home to come back to after the war ends. That makes ridding the Strip of Palestinians a much easier task. After all, what's the point in going home if you have no home to go back to and are scared shitless?

 

this took a minute longer than it seems like it should have

Israel says it's pumping 'large amounts of water' into Hamas tunnels (msn.com)

The Israeli military said Tuesday that it has been pumping "large amounts of water'' into the Hamas tunnels under Gaza "with the aim of neutralizing underground terrorist infrastructure.''
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The Israel Defense Forces said in a posting the water is only pumped into suitable spots after considering "the soil and water systems in the area, matching the method of operation to each specific case.'' The posting called the approach a "significant tool'' in the fight against Hamas.

The militant group is believed to have built more than 350 miles of tunnels where its militants can hide and store weapons and ammunition. A recent Wall Street Journal report said about 80% of the tunnels remained intact despite the Israeli efforts to destroy them during a war that began Oct. 7.

 

another embarassment for the UNRWA. Appears to have been totally compromised by Hamas
I think the Israeli intelligence must be having a field day with this data.

Directly beneath UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters, IDF uncovers top secret Hamas data center | The Times of Israel
Beneath the Gaza Strip headquarters of the controversial United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known commonly as UNRWA, the Hamas terror group hid one of its most significant assets, the Israeli military has revealed.

The subterranean data center — complete with an electrical room, industrial battery power banks and living quarters for Hamas terrorists operating the computer servers — was built precisely under the location where Israel would not consider looking initially, let alone target in an airstrike.

The revelation of the server farm comes amid other accusations of UNRWA collusion with the Gaza-ruling terror group and the entanglement of the UN body that provides welfare and humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees from the 1948 and 1967 wars and their descendants.

Israel last month accused 12 staff with the UN Palestinian refugee agency of taking part in the October 7 massacre by Hamas-led terrorists, who killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in the murderous rampage.


Tunnel complex with rows of computer servers discovered under UN aid agency HQ in Gaza, reports say (msn.com)

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the IDF said its soldiers had found the entrance to a tunnel near a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

It claims that this was connected to a tunnel underneath the agency's main HQ in Gaza City, where its forces came across "electrical infrastructure" with rows of computer servers that it said were using power from the UNRWA's building.
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The WSJ report published a photo of a room containing eight black server racks "inside what Israeli military officials say is a Hamas intelligence hub."

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, has constructed a military network of more than 310 miles of tunnels beneath the enclave - roughly equivalent to half the length of the New York subway system, Reuters reported in December.

 

Is Net trying to bait Hezbollah into war to be able to keep the war going since he is toast once the emergency is over?

Israel eliminates Hezbollah senior commander as terror group warns it will pay 'the price' (msn.com)

The Israeli military said it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in a strike carried out in Lebanon as the terror group vows retaliation.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday that an overnight airstrike targeting a "Hezbollah military structure" in Nabatieh killed Ali Muhammad Aldbas, a senior commander of the Radwan forces. His deputy commander, Ibrahim Issa, and an additional terrorist were killed in the attack, according to IDF.

"Aldbas was amongst those who directed the terrorist attack at the Megiddo Junction in Israel in March 2023. He led, planned, and carried out terrorist activity toward the State of Israel, especially during this war," the IDF said.

The Radwan Force is a special operation forces unit of Hezbollah specifically tasked with infiltrating and carrying out attacks in northern Israel.

 

When will the Jewish Supremacist's bloodlust be quenched?

Carnage at Gaza food aid site amid Israeli gunfire. Here’s what we know

"Calls are growing for an investigation into one of the worst single tragedies to occur during Israel’s war with Hamas took, after scores of Palestinians were killed trying to access food aid in Gaza City on Thursday.

"At least 112 people were killed and 760 injured in an incident where Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops used live fire as hungry and desperate Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza."

 

Damn, not a good look for a nation that likes to say " never again". WTH?

 

You would think they would recognize genocide when they see it.

 

Israel has seized a treasure trove of information on Hamas, with U.S. assistance. They were able to access hard drives, cell phones, laptops, and maps that were taken during the offensive, and they were able to do some electronic eavesdropping on Hamas operatives. They have all of the H.R. files for Hamas, as well as the birthday card lists.

Israel seizes trove of intelligence on Hamas in Gaza offensive, with U.S. help

 

from the article-
The intelligence seized in raids of Hamas command centers helped inform Israel’s accusations that 12 staff members of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNWRA, took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, according to current and former officials and an Israel official.

 

A UN resolution calling for a cease fire passes after the US abstains. It begs the question as to does US support for Israel amount to a blank check ergo they can do whatever the hell they want and we will support it or do we have the right to object to some of the things they do? Daring to criticize them does not make us anti-semitic, nor does it mean we support the Hamas terrorists.

 

Anyone who is calling for a cease fire without the unconditional release of all hostages is either anti sematic or just an idiot. Until Hamas releases all hostages why would Israel stop?

 

Maybe you should tell that to the families of Israeli hostages, who have for months wanted their own govt to pull back?

I assume you would acknowledge the stupidity of calling Israeli nationals anti-Semitic, so I guess you just think the families of the hostages are idiots?

 

IF Israeli Nationals are calling for a cease fire without the unconditional release of the hostages then yes, they are idiots and would have zero issues telling someone that to their face. Do you have proof families of the hostages want a cease fire without their family member released or are you just making stuff up?

 

This is an interview with a member of the Israeli War Cabinet, Ron Dermer. He gets into how Israel is actually conducting the war. Why Israel has to go into Rafah, what post-war Gaza will possibly look like, and why Israel cannot allow Hamas to remain in Gaza. It is worth a listen and you can put it on 1.5x or 1.75x and get through it in about 35 minutes.

‎Call Me Back - with Dan Senor: War Cabinet Member, Ron Dermer on Apple Podcasts

 

Are you kidding man? Some of the families have been quite vocal about it. Even heckling Netanyahu at one of his addresses to parliament awhile back.

Hostages’ families heckle Netanyahu as he warns Israel ‘expanding’ Gaza fight | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian

I’m sure for many it reached a tipping point when the Israeli military shot 3 of their own hostages.

How 3 Israeli hostages tried to save themselves, only to be killed by their own military