Hamas's Human Shield Strategy

The current Gaza conflict is likely to be remembered as a terrible tragedy. Not Because the IDF has unintentionally killed Palestinian civilians but because Hamas has made the use of human shields a despicable primary military strategy. encouraged by the unforgivable silence of leading international NGOs, Hamas deploys two complementary tactics that mock and debase the humanitarian core of international law: firing hundreds of rocket targeting Israeli population centers (including Jews, Muslims and Christians) and the massive use of Palestinian civilians—including women and children—as human shields.

While Israel makes an effort to fight with accurate surgical air strikes directed against Hamas militant and it's terrorist sites, Hamas is doing the opposite and firing rockets indiscriminately towards Israeli population centers in order to kill as many Israelis as possible.

While Israel using their anti-missile "iron dome" shield to protect their civilians, Hamas does just the opposite and Instead of keeping its citizens out of harm’s way they are using and exploit  the Palestinian civilian population as human shields for its militant and infrastructure.

In the past, it meant putting missile launchers near and inside of schools, hospitals, and mosques as well among civilian homes in the densely populated strip, But as Israel has stepped up its efforts to try and avoid civilian casualties, even as it seeks to silence the terrorist fire, Hamas has also increased its efforts to ensure that as many inhabitants of Gaza as possible are hurt in the fighting.

Why Hamas using they're own civilians as human shield?

Hamas sees the use of human shields as a win-win strategy, since if it deters an Israeli response, its fighters and weapons will be safe, and if Israel does respond, the civilian casualties will be another photo opportunity that can be internationally exploited for propaganda purposes and building popular support playing on anger against Israel.

When Hamas terrorist's fires rockets at Israeli cities they usually do this from densely populated areas using timers or remotely controlled launchers, leaving the terrorists themselves at a safe distance. To protect the launch sites from preemptive strikes by the Israeli Air Force, Hamas sends children to play near the launchers or sets them up near schools, playgrounds, hospitals or mosques.

When the IDF is preparing to attack a civilian area (seemingly civilian structures but used in practice as an armory, Hamas headquarters or a firing position) it takes extensive measures in order to avoid civilian casualties such as using telephone calls and leaflets to warn civillians before striking an area. In some cases, the Israelis fire missile without explosive warhead onto the roof of a building to get Palestinians who gathered there to leave before it strikes the building.

These messages urge civilians to leave the area, and even might spare the lives of terrorists. And what Hamas is doing? – Hamas urges civilians to defend the site with their lives, they're telling them to stay there. Is a government that send citizens to protect with their lives a military site a legitimate government?

Hamas don’t even try to hide the fact that they use civilians as human shield, in fact they're admit it loud and clear: Hamas Interior Ministry said in an on-air TV announcement to Gaza residents this week that Israeli’s warning messages "are designed to weaken our resolve and to sow panic and fear among us, in light of the failures of our enemies. We call on all Gaza residents not to pay attention to these messages and not to leave their homes."

Another example of this was noted, when Hamas’s Al Aqsa TV in Gaza aired the group’s spokesperson, Sami Abu Zuhri, urging the population of the Gaza strip to refuse to heed warnings and to use their bodies to shield Hamas facilities:

"The policy of people confronting the Israeli warplanes with their bare chests in order to protect their homes has proven effective against occupation.  Also, this policy reflects the character of our brave, courageous people. We in Hamas call upon our people to adopt this policy, in order to protect the Palestinian homes."

About The Critics

In the lethal "fog of war," even the most-disciplined, best-intentioned armies errantly kill civilians caught in the crossfire as well as their own soldiers who die from friendly fire (a difficult concept to digest). Does anybody remember the thousands of French civilians killed by the Allies during World War II's Normandy Invasion?

In their current asymmetrical war with Hamas, the Israeli Defense Forces are using cellphone messages, leaflets, and other measures in the attempt to decouple civilians from military targets placed in their midst by the terrorist organization. As former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, Col. Richard Kemp said of Israel’s previous operations in Gaza: “the Israeli Defense Forces did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.”

As well as The flow of hundreds of trucks loaded with foodstuffs and medicine into Gaza from Israel is a daily routine in order to allow further humanitarian supplies to reach noncombatants.

This Israeli effort is obligatory morally and ethically, but in terms of the reality of today's warfare it is an outstanding effort. No other army had ever acted in the same way towards the enemy's civilians.

Despite the obvious logic, Israel gets nothing but a global diplomatic and media chorus of boos from those who promote human rights but willfully blind to the ultimate outrage against humanitarian international law occurring today in Gaza by the hands of Hamas.

 The Bottom Line

Shields protect honorable combatants in the midst of battle; Iron dome is the modern city wall aims to protect civilians; Human shields? It is the weapon of the most cowardly tyrants who violate every principle of humanitarian international law.

few in the mainstream media find it necessary to critical and report on Hamas crimes – let's say plain and simple: Hamas violates the international law  contrary to all ethical and moral standards of warfare – they claim they are protecting they're civilians but they are their greatest enemy.

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