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  • Setting the stage, declaring the intent: how Hamas massacred the people of Gaza

    From hello there@no-spam-thank-you@not.home to alt.fan.rush-limbaugh,soc.culture.israel,soc.culture.europe,soc.culture.british,soc.culture.usa on Fri Dec 27 14:13:47 2024
    From Newsgroup: soc.culture.british


    Keypoint summary
    ----------------

    1) For two decades, Hamas designed its war against Israel to take
    place in densely populated urban areas. They could fight the IDF
    in the open -- but chose not to. As any military historian will tell
    you, such a war necessarily inflicts a heavy toll on civilians and infra-structure.

    2) In addition to 1), Hamas actively used the people of Gaza as
    human shields.

    3) As if there was any doubt, the leaders of Hamas expressed their
    intent to have as many Gazans killed as possible.


    Some sources for the above
    --------------------------

    1) https://x.com/SpencerGuard/status/1871419700342645220

    2) Report on Hamas' use of human shields in Gaza https://stratcomcoe.org/cuploads/pfiles/hamas_human_shields.pdf

    Hamas' most common uses of human shields include:

    * Firing rockets, artillery, and mortars from or in proximity to heavily populated civilian areas, often from or near facilities which should be protected according to the Geneva Convention (e.g. schools, hospitals,
    or mosques).

    * Locating military or security-related infrastructures such as HQs, bases, armouries, access routes, lathes or defensive positions within or in proximity to civilian areas.

    * Protecting terrorists' houses and military facilities, or rescuing terrorists who were besieged or warned by the IDF.

    * Combating the IDF from or in proximity to residential and commercial areas, including using civilians for intelligence gathering missions.

    By engaging in these acts, Hamas employs a win-win scenario: if indeed the IDF uses kinetic power, and the number of civilian causalities surges, Hamas can use that as a weapon in the lawfare it conducts. It would be able to accuse
    the IDF (and Israel) of committing war crimes, which in turn could result in the imposition of a wide array of sanctions. On the other hand, if the IDF limits
    its use of military power in Gaza to avoid collateral damage, Hamas will be less
    vulnerable to Israeli attacks, and thereby able to protect its assets while continuing to fight.

    3) Sinwar wanted Gazans to die:

    https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/gaza-chiefs-brutal-calculation-civilian-bloodshed-will-help-hamas-626720e7?msockid=128e128180b664c60c32079a812665e9

    For months, Yahya Sinwar has resisted pressure to cut a ceasefire-and-hostages deal with Israel. Behind his decision, messages the Hamas military leader in Gaza
    has sent to mediators show, is a calculation that more fighting-and more Palestinian civilian deaths-work to his advantage.

    Haniyeh wanted Gazans to die:

    "We are the ones who need this blood": the Leader of Hamas
    says it clearly -- he WANTS the women, children, and elderly
    of Gaza to die.

    https://www.memri.org/reports/hamas-leader-ismail-haniyeh-we-need-blood-women-children-and-
    elderly-gaza-%E2%80%93-so-it-awakens

    Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh: We Need The Blood Of Women, Children,
    And The Elderly Of Gaza - So It Awakens Our Revolutionary Spirit

    </quote>

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