Israel's Military Conduct in Gaza Defended Against Proportionality Claims

The article argues that Hamas's actions on October 7, 2023, which it describes as documented by Hamas itself in a film, set the standard for the conflict. In response, Israel is portrayed as attempting to minimize civilian casualties while targeting "serial killers" who initiated the war. The author rejects the notion of "proportionality" as applied to Israel's response, suggesting that a truly proportional response would involve the mass killing of Palestinians, including infants, which Israel is not pursuing.

Instead, the piece asserts that Israel operates on "military common sense," viewing every uneliminated Hamas militant as a future threat to Israelis. The author dismisses the idea that Israel would endanger its own citizens for international approval, using a strong expletive to describe the Israeli state's perceived resilience. The article contends that criticism of Israel's handling of "collateral damage" is misplaced without comparative analysis of other armies in similar situations.

Citing West Point military experts, the article claims the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have demonstrated historically low levels of collateral damage in densely populated urban combat. The author suggests the surest way to avoid civilian deaths is for Hamas to cease its actions, refrain from using civilian infrastructure like hospitals and schools for military purposes, and avoid operating from behind the civilian population. The piece concludes by urging pro-Palestinian activists to stop legitimizing Hamas, comparing the Palestinian flag under Hamas rule to the swastika under Hitler, and labeling efforts to fight for human rights under such a flag as either "conscious villainy or severe idiocy."