Israeli airstrikes destroyed a tower block in Gaza City after Hamas militants launched a rocket and air attack on Israel in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Israeli army launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with Israel’s president, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the country, is ‘at war’.

Al Jazeera journalist Youmna El Sayed was reporting live from Gaza the moment the missile struck Palestine Tower behind her.

Sources in Gaza said at least 198 Palestinians were killed in the strikes

  • danhakimi@kbin.social
    68·
    1 year ago

    Israeli civilian deaths from this attack—which again, was actively, intentionally targeted at civillians—were 250. IIRC, the latest number of Palestinian deaths, including combatants, in 2023, is “over 200.”

    But I wasn’t talking about numbers. I was talking about intent, effort, strategy. Yes, some Palestinian civilians do die as a result of attacks by Israel. Israel tends to be better at protecting its civilians, Hamas intentionally puts its civilians in harm’s way. Yes, to some extent, the numbers reflect that.

    And by the way, there are also Palestinians dying to friendly fire caused by haphazard rocket fire.

    • filister@lemmy.worldEnglish
      62·
      1 year ago

      And I said by the time this recent escalation ends. Meaning that this end won’t be today as the retaliation of Israel is currently ongoing and surprise surprise civilian casualties numbers are not going to be updated immediately.

      Do you really believe that there won’t be any retaliation strikes from Israel that won’t involve civilian deaths on the Palestinian side? Because if you do you are a fool!

      Again not defending Hamas, just saying that seeing only one side of the conflict and what their wrongdoings are isn’t the best approach in this case.

      • danhakimi@kbin.social
        23·
        1 year ago

        Do you really believe that there won’t be any retaliation strikes from Israel that won’t involve civilian deaths on the Palestinian side? Because if you do you are a fool!

        I didn’t say that.

        I really don’t think Israel will target any civilians. Some rogue IDF soldiers have done so in the past, but it’s rare and generally punished quite quickly.

        I can’t say which side will suffer more civilian casualties, but I know that Hamas’s goal is to cause as many as possible, and Israel is making very active efforts to cause as few as possible. The fact that Israel is well-equipped to defend itself and Hamas doesn’t feel like it will, inevitably, skew the statistics.

        • filister@lemmy.worldEnglish
          41·
          1 year ago

          Oh so your point is that Israeli civilian casualties matter more, right? Plus provide me with any proof that IDF soldiers are really trialed and effectively put into prison with effective sentences.

          Plus the whole fact that Israel is not a member of the ICC speaks volumes about their human rights track record https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/arabs-israel-stay-sidelines-raging-democracy-battle-2023-07-26/#:~:text=While Israel says it grants,more than three times higher.

          Plus it is not like Israeli politicians are not complicit by inciting racial hatred by stating that certain Palestinian villages must be erased or by continually expanding the Israeli settlements in disputed territories. So I don’t know for you but in my books that’s not exactly screaming actively looking for a peaceful solution to the problem. You should also check what pretty much every independent human rights watch group has to say about the issue.

          Again not defending any civilian casualties and I wish both parties were actually looking to resolve this problem in a peaceful manner through diplomatic channels. Unfortunately that boat departed, after the Oslo accord, there are no real attempts to reconcile instead things seem to be getting worse every year with no hope in sight.

          • danhakimi@kbin.social
            14·
            1 year ago

            Oh so your point is that Israeli civilian casualties matter more, right?

            I don’t appreciate the way you’re intentionally dodging my point and then intentionally mischaracterizing it.

            My point is that Hamas is trying to increase the count of civilian casualties on both sides, and the IDF is trying to decrease civilian casualties on both sides.

            You’re just counting the victims. Look at the perpetrators for just a second.

            Plus the whole fact that Israel is not a member of the ICC speaks volumes about their human rights track record

            does it? How so?

            Plus it is not like Israeli politicians are not complicit by inciting racial hatred by stating that certain Palestinian villages must be erased.

            There are a few Israeli extremists who say shit like this. They’re monsters. The vast majority do not speak like this. As opposed to the majority members of the Palestinian Authority. A majority of the PA is literally members of Hamas, truly committed to the deaths all Israelis and all Jews they can get their hands on, as evidenced not only by their charter but by their actions.

            Unfortunately, the current majority in Israel is not interested in enforcing rules against expanding settlements. That does suck. But the bulk of the minority—which is likely to take control in the next election, unless this crisis changed things—is very willing to reign in settlements.