Hamas strike on Israel - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

According to Euro-Med Human Rights Watch Israel has dropped more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza since 7th October. That’s the equivalent of two nuclear bombs.

Some further info on this. Fingers crossed young Emily Hand is still alive (and well) and will be one of the first hostages released.

No context would excuse what he was shouting… at a random jew… in ireland.

And neither am I claiming any such thing, because they're not militarily matched, for want of a better world. None the less, if figures / statistics are mentioned, the Iron Dome and its preventative function in reducing Israeli deaths and injuries, deserves a mention. If only because if it did not exist, Hamas inflicted fatalities / injuries would be much higher. Pure statistics.

Ah yes, the kill them all and let God sort them out, approach.

When Hamas say this, they are rightly accused of being terrorists, when supporters of Israel say it, they expect it to be seen as a rational approach.

Personally, I think that this conflict has been festering ( right word? ) Since 1948, but each year has gotten progressively worse, until finally it has exploded, literally. We will have think tanks, commissions and academics analyzing and examining it back to the beginning, and multiple reports and recommendations issued. But even after all that what will emerge? I don't know either, because after all is said and done, It's the Middle East.

Houthi rebels are a military group who are attacking Israeli civilians and now have taken a cargo shipped manned by civilians.

So yes send a Predator drone and a second one if the first runs out of ammunition .God won't want them either .

There was a peace march to Nethanyu's offices and he eventually agreed to meet with the families of the hostages and bring the issues to his war cabinet. No doubt pressure from the Americans has been brought to bear too.

And this is why they are defensive. Of course they being in the minority matters. To them they have been persecuted for their whole existence, which continues to this day, with noone to defend them except themselves.

Israel have agreed to every peace solution that has been agreed. Their neighbours have stopped every chance of peace.

Gaza is ruled by Hamas, god help them. Noone in this particular conflict seems to care too much for innocent Palestinian people. Particularly not their leaders, who continue to use them as human shields.

(Israel targetting terrorist bases, is not targetting schools etc.)

I agree that Israel have contravened international law by their illegal settlements. But everything they do is completely understandable if you can see things from their perspective.

If Israel are not victims, it's because they themselves have made sure they are not. I don't know why anyone would condemn them for that.

So is this an implicit admission that some blame does lay with Israel. It's good you are not biased and try to absolve Israel of all blame. Also I have no problem with Israel being a powerful military force- they need to be. If they were not the dominant force in the region this would be a wider war by now

What I object to is the disproportionate use of force. Do you agree too many civilians have been killed by Israel? Mark Regev admitted they wouldn't bomb a building in Israel to kill a hamas operative in Israel. He said they'd send in Special forces. Why the different approach?

One ship goes boom in that area and Europe is totally ****ed. So best off thinking about consequences before wishing for something, especially for those without any oil or gas.

They may have agreed but not abided. You seem to admit they contravened it so basically their agreement is worthless?

Please explain to me how everything Israel do is understandable, prior to oct 7th and currently in the West Bank; because for me it absolutely is not.

Your post Nacho: ( at least part of it ) "Why do you keep repeating the same debunked point. The IDF claimed to know the exact layout of the command and center under the hospital. "

I haven't changed my mind either Nacho. Since at least 2005 when Israel pulled out of Gaza, and Hamas took over, they have been expanding and using the tunnels. They have no choice, they are hemmed in on all sides, the only way they can go is down, and that's exactly what they did. They are fighting Israel from the tunnels, and everything that they need to fight this war, they have it underground. You name it, that's where Hamas will have it, in the Tunnels. And I do mean everything. They can live in the tunnels for months at a time, never needing to move out. So, until the IDF completely control Gaza, and manage to identify each and every tunnel access point, then Hamas will have the use of them and continue the fight. Bear in mind that this is a vast interconnected network, and they can move men and equipment very quickly when they need to. You can say that the IDF were lying when they said that they operated directly under the hospital, because they had prior knowledge, having built it. And because when they did enter it, nothing was found that would prove that Hamas was there. My view was that Hamas could have been there under the hospital all along, but within a few hours, could have left, with absolutely nothing left behind linking them to being active there. Like I mentioned several times in previous posts, give it a few weeks, or more than likely, months, and then more will be known about what was in the tunnels, and how they were used. For sure, this is only the beginning.

They have agreed. Any opinions on why the others have not? Or why you think Israel should stick to agreements when others do not?

Interesting