Letter to the Editor: Toby F. Block

Kimball Shinkosky apparently does not understand the rules of war. Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and Hezbollah’s bombing of the soccer field at Majdal Shams were war crimes because civilians were deliberately targeted. In contrast, Israel goes to great lengths to avoid killing or injuring civilians.

Unfortunately, Hamas’ having embedded its extensive network of terror tunnels, built at a cost of $1,000,000,000, among the Gaza populace, turned the people of Gaza into human shields. By connecting the tunnels to schools, hospitals, mosques, businesses, and residences where munitions are stored, where Hamas combatants hold strategic planning sessions, near missile launching pads, Hamas has made Israel’s exemplary attempts to avoid civilian casualties guaranteed to be less than 100% effective.
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/gazas-underground-hamass-entire-politico-military-strategy-rests-on-its-tunnels/

And all the calls for ceasefires, with President Biden calling on Israel not to launch a full-scale attack on Hamas’ stronghold in Rafah and delaying arms shipments to Israel, have made it more likely that Hamas will live to fulfill its promise to inflict a thousand October 7’s on Israel.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/17/opinions/israel-gaza-hamas-war-us-arms-spencer/index.html

Toby F. Block, Atlanta, Ga.