The ongoing war in Gaza has been characterized by many as a genocide committed by Israel. However, a closer look at the numbers, the actions taken by both sides, and the definitions involved reveal that this claim does not hold up under scrutiny. Let’s examine the evidence.
Examining the Death Toll Numbers
(Thanks to my brother Joseph @israel_advocacy for providing the information on the casualty numbers in Gaza)
Are people dying in large numbers? Yes, they are, and that’s tragic when innocent people are killed in war. But let us examine the numbers and see who’s behind them: The Ministry of Health in Gaza and guess who runs that ministry – yes, you guessed right, it’s Hamas, and they released numbers back in April with a death toll over 24,000. However, 16% of those numbers were invalid, putting the actual death toll at just over 20,000. This is a large number, no doubt, but evidence indicates an intent to fabricate a higher count to emotionally manipulate people regarding the situation in Gaza. This behavior aligns with the patterns expected from Hamas.
As stated, the numbers are indeed high, and that doesn’t change the fact that it’s tragic when innocent people die in war. However, while war is evil, it’s a necessary evil – in this case to destroy a terrorist entity and ensure the safety of Israel, which in turn would ensure the future safety of Gazans and their freedom from Hamas.
In September, the ministry updated the death toll to slightly over 34,000, yet again inflating the numbers by including over 4,000 discrepancies, and falsifying IDs. This kind of falsification led to accusations of genocide against Israel, but even then, the numbers do not align with the facts. Notably, where is the death toll for Hamas militants (terrorists)? They are included in the numbers and counted as civilians, with Israel estimating the terrorist death toll at 15,000 or more. When these are subtracted from the total, the civilian death toll is approximately 15,000 to 20,000 a sad tragedy, indeed.
Comparing Civilian and Combatant Ratios in Other Conflicts
It’s impossible to trust numbers coming from a health ministry run by a terrorist organization. There is ample evidence of efforts to manipulate data. Now, however, let us compare the civilian versus militant death ratios to those of other conflicts and wars:
• Iraq War: Approximately a 4:1 civilian to combatant ratio.
• Syrian Civil War: Approximately a 2:1 ratio.
• Afghanistan War: Roughly a 1:2 ratio (more militants than civilians).
• Bosnian War: Around a 2:3 ratio.
• Gaza Wars (2014): Roughly 1:1.
• Vietnam War: Approximately a 2:1 ratio.
In Gaza, the estimated ratio is around is 1:1, which is lower than many other conflicts in recent decades, if not longer. This demonstrates that, despite claims that Israel is attempting genocide against Palestinians, the numbers do not support that accusation.
The Definition of Genocide
Now, on to the important question: What is the meaning of genocide? Genocide is the intentional act to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group by causing physical destruction, preventing births, or forcibly transferring children to another group. Some may claim that this is indeed what Israel is doing, but we must examine the evidence to determine whether the claim holds true. As stated earlier, there is already evidence showing that Hamas has manipulated and fabricated death toll information, so any other claims must be investigated, given this history of deceit. It is unfortunate that we even need to address this, as it should be clear that a terrorist organization’s claims are not inherently trustworthy. However, for the sake of those who are too blind to see the truth, we will debunk these accusations.
Looking at the definition of genocide, we need clear evidence to show Israel’s intent to commit such an act. Any violations others might claim would need to fit under this definition. The actions of rogue individuals do not represent the policies of the institutions being examined. It’s also important to note that many alleged violations do not stand up to scrutiny because of Hamas’s persistent falsehoods and the media’s tendency to propagate them.
Israel’s Efforts to Minimize Civilian Casualties
Ample evidence shows that the IDF continually risks the safety of its own soldiers and the integrity of its operations by alerting residents through social media, phone calls, text messages, or leaflets, providing safe zones and passages to evacuate danger areas. Doing so alerts the enemy to any planned attacks, therefore limiting the success of the operation and prolonging the conflict even more. Furthermore, Israel has continued to cooperate in providing humanitarian aid and has even evacuated many for medical treatment to its own hospitals. Are these the acts of a genocidal state or military? Indeed, they are not. These actions reflect a military striving to avoid civilian casualties, going above and beyond to ensure their safety, while Hamas uses civilians as human shields, operating in heavily populated areas, and launching rocket attacks from civilian infrastructure like hospitals, schools, mosques, and homes. They have also prevented their citizens from escaping to safe zones, even murdering some who tried, and including them in the death toll.
The Origins of the Conflict
Finally, let’s address the origins of this war and determine who is truly responsible for the death of innocent people. By examining the facts leading to this tragic conflict, we can assign blame appropriately. On October 6th, there was a ceasefire, and no direct conflict with Hamas. Israel, sadly and perhaps naively, believed that Hamas had started to care for its people and was choosing not to engage in direct conflict. However, October 7th will remain a dark day in history; it became clear that Hamas cannot and will never be trusted. They violated all rules of engagement, attacking, murdering, and raping innocent women and children. No living being was spared from their butchery.
Conclusion
All evidence points to one indisputable fact: Israel has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep civilians out of harm’s way and to provide aid and medical assistance. Again, are these the actions of a genocidal entity? Of course not.
Hamas has ruled over Gaza with an iron fist, imprisoning and torturing anyone who dared to oppose them. Even now, with the mounting death toll and destruction, Hamas refuses to surrender and spare its people further suffering, instead seeking to pressure the international community to prolong its power. Calls for a ceasefire do not benefit the people of Gaza; they only ensure a future under Hamas and a repetition of the same terror. An end must be put to this war, and that end can only come with the complete destruction of Hamas and the return of the innocent hostages.
It’s time to cease the lies about genocide and the misguided calls for a ceasefire. Instead, we should focus all efforts on safeguarding the future of both the state of Israel and the people of Gaza, a future without terror, a future of peaceful coexistence. But the people of Gaza must seize this opportunity to aid in the location of the hostages to the best of their abilities and seize the opportunity for a better future for their children after the destruction of Hamas. They must love life more than death, love their children more than their hatred of Jews and accept this reality as is or suffer in their own demise.
