We have killed 14,000 kids in Gaza


(MENAFN) In war discussions, there's often a clear division between soldiers killed in battle and civilians who perish from rocket attacks and drone strikes. But what if we consistently maintained the distinction between intentional deaths and the killing of innocents, and applied the same standards to those who are killed in Gaza and Lebanon due to Israeli military actions?

The reality is stark: in the past year, nearly 14,000 children, along with an equal number of women and elderly civilians, who were not involved in the fighting, have died. Many argue that in wartime, it’s impossible to call these deaths intentional, and some even claim that Jews cannot be murderers. However, this argument must be confronted by distinguishing between personal emotions and objective justice. While we naturally mourn the deaths of our own people more deeply than those of our enemies, this personal bias is shared by all nations. In every conflict, both sides believe their cause is just, and every parent grieves for their child’s loss, regardless of the war’s justification.

Yet, when discussing morality and justice, we must not rely solely on feelings but on clear, objective standards. These standards include respect for life, the principles of international law, and Jewish teachings that advocate for life and oppose collective punishment. When applying these standards fairly, it becomes clear that Israel’s public discourse often reflects double standards. Israel fails to hold itself to the same moral criteria it applies to others. This moral failure is visible in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians—children, women, and the elderly—in Gaza. Moreover, Israeli settler violence against Palestinian villages, which causes more frequent casualties and destruction, is often ignored or downplayed.

The stark difference in public sympathy for Israeli victims compared to Palestinian victims of Israeli forces underscores a troubling divide. For some, this attitude is rooted in racist views of Jewish superiority, seeing Palestinians as inferior or dangerous. For others, the empathy gap is driven by post-trauma anger and revenge after Hamas’s attacks, compounded by political rhetoric, such as Netanyahu’s portrayal of Israel as the victim, despite its ongoing military actions and the devastation they cause.

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