Whenever I address the war in Gaza, I receive feedback from readers who largely agree with my views but feel that my criticism of Israel is too severe. To engage with these concerns, I want to clarify why I consider American support for this conflict both morally wrong and strategically misguided, especially as Israel prepares for another major military incursion.
Many readers who disagree with my perspective raise the following key points in good faith:
While the humanitarian suffering in Gaza is undeniable, the blame is often placed incorrectly. Hamas initiated this conflict and could bring it to an end by surrendering, disarming, and releasing hostages still in their custody.
Over numerous visits to Gaza, I have witnessed Hamas’s oppressive governance, including its misogynistic and brutal actions. Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023 attack was justified. The removal of Hamas from Gaza would be a cause for celebration. Yet, that outcome appears unlikely, and it remains unclear what military objectives justify the ongoing mass casualties and deprivation.
More than 600 retired Israeli security officials have declared that Hamas no longer represents a strategic threat to Israel. Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages warn that an unending war without clear goals puts those hostages’ lives at greater risk.
Indeed, wars end when one side surrenders, but enemies seldom comply. Hamas’s refusal to surrender does not justify the devastating measures Israel has taken, with American support, which include the deaths of an estimated 18,000 children, widespread starvation, and the destruction of entire neighborhoods. According to UNICEF, Gaza has the highest global rate of child amputees.
Throughout my career covering conflicts, Gaza stands out for its extensive and seemingly pointless destruction — over 70 percent of its buildings have been damaged or destroyed. The United States continues to supply Israel with weapons, military aid, and diplomatic backing that facilitate a campaign marked by incidents likely constituting war crimes.
Some question the casualty figures, noting that the figure of 18,000 children killed originates from a health ministry governed by Hamas, raising doubts about its reliability. The existence of starvation is also contested. However, the reality on the ground is complex and often obscured by ideological bias.
Conversations with Gazans, medical professionals, and aid workers consistently confirm that starvation is a dire and deadly issue in Gaza. Denying or downplaying this hunger amounts to ignoring a deeply troubling humanitarian crisis.
While some humanitarian groups have occasionally overstated conditions — for instance, prematurely declaring famine in 2024 — this calls for rigorous investigation and skepticism rather than unquestioned acceptance of statements from Israeli leadership.
When a young Gazan girl, Hind Rajab, was killed, I delayed reporting because Israel denied involvement. Subsequent evidence increasingly indicates that Israeli forces were responsible for her death, along with six relatives and paramedics attempting rescue. Numerous similar incidents, including the killing of 15 emergency workers in March, have severely damaged the credibility of the Israeli government.
Casualty figures remain uncertain, but many experts suggest that official counts underestimate the true toll. A study published in a leading medical journal indicated a 41 percent undercount of deaths in Gaza up to June 2024. UNICEF reports that children constitute 80 percent of those who have died from starvation during the conflict.
It is important to recognize that while Gazans have perpetrated violence against Israelis, Israelis have also provided aid to Gazans. To suggest that Israel alone is morally culpable overlooks the complexity of the situation.
War crimes committed by one party do not excuse similar offenses by the other. Both sides bear responsibility for abiding by international humanitarian law.
Israel has attempted to bypass established aid organizations by distributing food through a newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Tragically, this effort resulted in hundreds being killed as they struggled to access food. Doctors Without Borders condemned this as orchestrated killing rather than aid.
Criticism of Israel often faces accusations of double standards. It is true that more children have died from starvation in Sudan’s famine and more people were killed in the recent conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, yet these crises receive comparatively little global outrage.
However, this observation cuts both ways. The atrocities committed in Israel on October 7 received far more international focus than the mass killings and reported mass rapes in Tigray. If one argues that global attention is disproportionately focused on Gaza, the same argument applies to the attention given to suffering in Israel.
I have reported firsthand on the famine in Sudan and agree it warrants more coverage. Nevertheless, Gaza feels more immediate because taxpayer dollars appear to be funding policies that contribute to mass starvation.
Criticism of Israel can sometimes fuel antisemitic violence worldwide. Incidents such as the killing of Israeli Embassy staff in May and attacks on Israel supporters in the United States have occurred amid inflammatory rhetoric.
Such violence is unacceptable and cannot be justified under any circumstances. While we mourn attacks on innocent Israelis and Jewish communities worldwide, we must also grieve the loss of innocent Gazan lives. The death of a Palestinian child holds equal moral weight to that of an Israeli or American child. Genuine human rights advocacy must encompass all lives.
Comparisons are often made to past U.S. military actions, including the invasions after September 11 and the bombings during World War II. While understandable that trauma influences reactions, such overreactions do not excuse violations of human rights.
Notably, some Israeli human rights organizations and citizens have courageously protested the atrocities in Gaza. Their actions should inspire us all. The critical stance is not about being pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian but standing firmly against massacre, sexual violence, and starvation.
The United States, which lacks the excuse of post-terror trauma in this conflict, bears particular responsibility. Both recent presidents have supplied weapons and diplomatic support that have sustained this tragedy, yet they have failed to leverage that influence to pressure for a decisive end to the violence.
For nearly two years, Americans have witnessed the situation in Gaza unfold, yet their leaders have enabled mass killing and starvation. Gaza is not a distant tragedy beyond our control; it is a direct reflection of our collective moral and practical failure.
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!