Israel will push on with its offensive against Hamas, including into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite growing international pressure to stop, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.
Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas after its fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting 253, according to Israeli tallies. More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s subsequent offensive, Palestinian health authorities estimate, prompting worldwide criticism and condemnation.
“There is international pressure and it’s growing, but particularly when the international pressure rises, we must close ranks, we need to stand together against the attempts to stop the war,” he said.
Hamas has no soldiers because they don’t qualify for the Geneva definition of a soldier. For example they usually operate disguised as civilians which makes them unlawful.
They do qualify as “armed unlawful combatants” though. “Unlawful” means they don’t fall under the rules of war but under civilian Israeli law.
And to realize who is an armed combatant it is enough seeing he carries a weapon and then they are legit targets. If someone picks up his weapon he becomes the next legit target. And so on. The unarmed combatants - yes, those exist by the Geneva defintion too - are also legit targets although with more caveats. Overall it is a reliable way to get killed while holding a weapon. Much less if you drop it.
Just because came with a knife to a gun fight doesn’t mean you have extra rights.
And one more question, after all this guilt-mongering I would like to hear what options Hamas has to end the conflict.