You were brave to post this OP! :)
So many people are demanding that Israel calls a ceasefire but are glossing over the fact that every single day Hamas continues to blast rockets at Israel. The only reason there isn't widespread carnage in Israel is because they have a robust defence system. Perhaps some of the Hamas leaders (who according to the UN are worth in excess of $2 billion each) could think about getting their own so they could look after the people they say they care about so much.
But instead they continue to fire rockets, knowing there will be a huge response and that many innocent people will be in the direct firing line. But yet, Israel is 'the bad guy'.
I've been in Israel and in the West Bank and I've unfortunately seen up front how Hamas operate. To give them any credit, they have never tried to hide who they are. Their goal is the annihilation of the Jews. It's in their constitution and even last night on Sky News, one of their operatives said 'we won't stop until we have a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital'. Or in other words, as per their manifesto, 'till all the Jews are gone'. And if I had neighbours like that, I'd build a massive great wall too.
But still, Israel is the 'bad guy'.
Suspect many people on MN who have strong opinions are unlikely to have ever travelled to the area and their primary source of information is social media. The same people who wholeheartedly believe that people like Trump and Russia manipulated social media with bots, ads and fake news, cannot see that Hamas could possibly do the same.
Before bunking off to a safer place on MN (and ducking out of the inevitable whataboutery), yes, I do have 'skin in the game' as I've worked in this context and no, I do not defend Israel's actions all the time and yes my heart aches for anyone innocent suffering.
But those who continue with the narrative that Israel is the only bad guy, I'd say get on a plane and go and see for yourself (if you dare). But I bet you won't.