What was the purpose of this level of destruction?

[Stripes56]

Gazans are returning to their homes and are horrified to see the level of destruction. Their joy mixed with despair.

www.timesofisrael.com/gazans-joy-over-ceasefire-tempered-by-shock-as-they-return-to-destroyed-homes/

We can feel joy that the hostages are returning home, relief that Hamas will be sidelined - but how do we reconcile with the death and destruction that has happened in Gaza?

Could you post the evidence that
‘so many people in this country believe Hamas are brave selfless freedom fighters’. ???

Ive read most of the news on this over a long time and I haven’t seen that one

Who believes that about Hamas?

I think we will need proof of that one.
You can believe that they are a cruel group of murdering terrorists and that the IDF are a cruel group of murdering military.

It only suits a certain narrative to believe people are pro Hamas when they are anti murder of civilians.

The truth hurts then?

And what about the main point of my post?

Other wars are irrelevant
Its not a badge of honour to think oh well Israel wasn't as bad as blah blah blah

OK so …

How about answering the evidence @Martymcfly24 and myself requested

Use every bit of that technology Israel is renowned for and the piles of data complied on Palestinans to hunt Hamas down. Use the same military techniques used with the pagers that was not available during the wars you refer to find them and destroy them.

Don't stop 500lb bombs on tents with sleeping children.

What do you think?

And that evidence would be great to back up your point?

This is what I mean when I say Israel has lost and done irreparable damage to itself because it’s well known that Israel continued to control air space, territorial waters, movement of people and goods which is what an occupying power does hence Gaza being occupied. So you can continue to spout that nonsense all day everyday but the more they continued their brutal genocide the more they exposed themselves to the world and the myriad of crimes they have committed since inception.

Well i would suggest hamas don't sleep in tents near sleeping children, don't set up shop in schools and hospitals and here's an idea let the civilians use the tunnels as bomb shelters. I mean yes the IDF are very good but if terrorists surrounds themselves with civilians there's only so much they can do.

Ah typical victim blaming. If you think a criminal runs is in a school you don't bomb the whole school and kill everyone then blame the criminal that may or may not be there. (unless you are the IDF)
There is still an obligation in wartime to protect civilians.
Laughable but a very typical response on here to IDF wilful atrocities.

Does the technology exist which enables only Hamas fighters to be picked off when they have surrounded themselves with women and children? Genuine question.

Perhaps my first sentence was a touch hyperbolic. However I'm still asking what you think Israel should have done when they know there's a death cult clamouring for their annihilation and the death of every Jew in the world just a few short miles away, and they're building ever deeper, ever more extensive tunnels. Does Israel just sit and wait for Hamas's next act?

Quite obviously I'm not applauding the destruction of Gaza and death of civilians. Because I'm human. But I want to know how people imagine they would have felt if they were an Israeli citizen.

(Back in the 90s at school, we did an "empathy" module as part of our history studies, which actually did use the ongoing conflict as the teaching tool. It was seen as an important skill to practise. I really think history should be a compulsory subject.)

Horrific things happen in wars. We'll see if Hamas want to stop the fighting and killing and destruction in the coming days and weeks.

There is nothing 'laughable' about any of this.

It is not victim blaming, it is hamas blaming. Fixed that for you.

@Martymcfly24 ’Don't stop 500lb bombs on tents with sleeping children.’

Maybe you should look up a video of a 500lb bomb going off. It’s a tad overkill for a tent.
You may as well check out carpet bombing as well, before that accusation resurfaces.

This sort of destruction is really fucked up. The IDF destroy the Gaza sewage plant hours before the ceasefire take place as a final 'memory'. They sewage plant which Germany had invested alot of money in.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-said-looking-into-report-that-troops-torched-gaza-sewage-plant/

I think at no point would I have thought killing thousands of children was justifiable.

Don't bother I was right the first time.

What that it's all laughable? I disagree.

They even took photos and posted on their social media for the 'memories'
Image taken from the times of Israel link.

Sorry you are right it was a beachfront cafe they used that bomb on not a tent.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/02/israeli-military-bomb-fragments-gaza-al-baqa-cafe

Plenty killed in the tents though too.

No that it's victim blaming it is.

If only those children had not slept in those tent near the alleged Hamas fighters.

Perhaps my first sentence was a touch hyperbolic

No evidence so.

Does Israel just sit and wait for Hamas's next act?

They spent 20 years with permits restrictions and blockades on the entire population. They were never waiting for the next act.

I have a degree in history, I also agree it should be a compulsory subject so we can see that doing the same things and expecting different results is madness.

Nooo if only hamas hadn't slept near the children. Blame hamas.

Why is it not the responsibility of the government voted in by Palestinians in a free election and supported by a bigger majority during the war, to protect their citizens?

Palestinians have a right to determination. you would say, and it’s dehumanising to suggest that as educated adults they are not responsible for their own choices, which included celebrations of Oct 7th, partaking in the atrocities, and holding hostages captive in their homes.

Why is the responsibility of their ‘enemy’ to protect them, and their children who they damned to ongoing conflict and suffering, by doing so?

Let's agree to disagre then we will blame Hamas for sleeping there and Israel for dropping the massive bombs.

And when did that election happen.

And what majority did Hamas win by?

'They spent 20 years with permits restrictions and blockades on the entire population. They were never waiting for the next act.'

They spent 20yrs with a shit load of funding and they blew it all on weapons and tunnels. You know there is also a border with Egypt yes? The reason folk have to be strict with hamas is if you let them in they kill people. Jews mainly but as we are seeing now each other too. You must have heard their anthem from the river to the sea?

Ah a degree in history so you're an expert on conflicts in the ME? Riiight.