Hearts and minds are sick to the stomach

Nothing, and I mean nothing, justifies firing on UN convoys. Nothing justifies leaving the wounded dying in their homes.

This is disgusting.

When the rescue team, which included members of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, was allowed into the area, it found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses, the Red Cross said.
...
"The Israeli military must have been aware of the situation but did not assist the wounded. Neither did they make it possible for us or the Palestine Red Crescent to assist the wounded."

Tell me again how Israel is killing military while Palestine is killing civilians.

This is the reality of all war. Not just Israeli ones. But this one is just so STUPID. It simply cannot achieve anyone's goals. How can anyone read that story and think that escalation is justified? There is the odd occasion when I have to concede, war is the only option. East Timor springs to mind. But here, war is, by necessity a war on civilians, and utterly useless. It can't and won't improve Israeli security. Without serious compassion, support and an immediate ceasefire, those 4 kids, at least, are probably destined to continue the fighting.

No hearts and minds will be won here, and it is extraordinarily hard to feel sympathy for a nation who fires on and kills UN aid workers.