Jeffrey K. Mann, Professor of Religious Studies, Susquehanna University, discussing the false moral equivalency between the killing of children by Hamas and Israel.
Criticizing the IDF for lack of proportionality is also difficult when the enemy make their bases of operation underneath schools and hospitals- where many die needlessly as the opposing force uses them as pawns- what would the just war theorists take on the loss of life in that instance be?
A good question. You'll notice that I haven't expressed an opinion on whether the response was proportional or exercised due care. I'll let others hash that out, and I'll reserve an opinion until I have better knowledge of the situation than I have now. (Maybe I'm wimping out on an answer, but my opinion wouldn't be worth a whole lot.) That being said, you are certainly right about what Hamas has done in using civilians to shield themselves, which is, again, inexcusable.
The bigger question is how the Israeli intelligence community blew the call on the oct 7 attack. But that’s for another day. If hamas is using hospitals and other civilian areas then you have to put boots on the ground and get them out. Indiscriminately bombing says your lives are worth less than ours. If it was the other way around and hamas was bombing an Israeli city your opinion would be different?
