Israel Blamed for Child Deaths Amid Hamas Obstruction, Author Argues

An opinion piece argues that while thousands of children die annually in accidents worldwide, Israel is disproportionately blamed for child fatalities in the conflict with Hamas. The author cites statistics on child deaths from accidents in Egypt, the US, India, China, Spain, and France to illustrate that such tragedies occur even in peacetime.

The article contends that Hamas's figures for Palestinian child deaths during the recent war, exceeding 20,000, are inflated and include combatants, internal clashes, and non-war-related deaths. It acknowledges that children are dying in the conflict, calling it a tragedy stemming from the inherent impossibility of preventing all threats, especially during wartime.

The author questions who is to blame when children are harmed due to Hamas's actions, such as preventing civilians from evacuating buildings used as human shields or encouraging young individuals to attack Israeli soldiers. The piece criticizes the international community's focus, stating that the blame is consistently placed on Israel, regardless of Hamas's role.

Furthermore, the article highlights Palestinian public opinion, citing polls indicating that a significant majority in both Judea and Samaria and Gaza oppose Hamas disarming before Israeli troop withdrawal and oppose a two-state solution. The author suggests that this resistance, fueled by decades of indoctrination and international support for Hamas, creates a deadlock where children continue to die, with Israel bearing the brunt of the blame.

The piece concludes by suggesting that Hamas's refusal to disarm and the international community's failure to hold them accountable prolong the conflict and the suffering of children. It posits that Israel will ultimately have to solve the problem, facing criticism from those who only shout rather than engage in constructive solutions.