IDF Photos of Hamas Targets in Gaza Before Strike

On Saturday night, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released aerial photos of the Hamas facilities targeted by Israel Air Force fighter pilots on Saturday's Operation Cast Lead. The red outline indicates the Hamas facilities targeted.

Earlier today, President Shimon Peres made this announcement which I posted (click here). According to Peres, Gazans in residential areas were given advance notice that a strike would occur.

::Israel National News

Follow Karin Kloosterman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/http://twitter.

Comments

[Michale32086]

@Doremus

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What part of "collective punishment" isn't clear to you?
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What part of "Hamas placing military hardware in civilian areas" is not clear to you??

Israel is not bombing civilian areas. Israel is bombing military targets. The fact that those military targets are in civilian areas is Hamas' fault, not Israels....

These are the facts, whether you choose to acknowledge them or not.

Michale.....

[Doremus]

I have two words, Karin: Collective Punishment.

Always a war crime. Google "Ourador-s­ur-Glane".

How can anyone justify the indiscriminate bombing of the most densely populated place on earth?

Today the Israeli spoke called "absurd" the notion the Israeli Navy would deliberately attack the Free Gaza ship that Cynthia McKinney was on, that was carrying tons of medicine to Gaza.

In fact deliberate attacks on the ships have been videotaped:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep-_jhFH1vE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo1A5MEBfNQ

[Michale32086]

The simple fact is, Hamas places their military hardware in civilian areas, in COMPLETE violation of every tenet of war imaginable...

Hamas is directly responsible for all the civilian deaths experienced by the Palestinians..

Michale.....

[Doremus]

Bollocks.

Israel is responsible for every child killed by US supplied Israeli bombs.

What part of "collective punishment" isn't clear to you?

[Okay]

Bangladesh is the most densely populated country on earth. Not Palestine. If you are speaking micro-states then it would be Monaco. And since IDF has identified specified targets and executed their attack on said targets I would say indiscriminate bombing does not apply in this case.

In regards to attacks on the ship transporting Cynthia McKinney. I wasn't there, but the youtube posts are misleading clips from months prior to this conflict and lack any details of the situation. Without details all else is negligent supposition.

I agree there are signs of Collective Punishment/ But which side is collectively punishing which? Even Egypt has been reported to have provided blockade against Hamas? Not against Palestine. Hamas is launching rockets into non-military regions without specified guidance. Why? I believe to provide a collective punishment to the citizenry of Israel.

[LiberalProfessor]

Quote from Haaretz:
Excluding the press could help Israel conceal preparations for a ground incursion.

Excluding te press could also help conceal war crimes... which are a'plenty.

REMEMBER EVERYONE: ISRAEL BROKE THE CEASE FIRE!
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=33024

Dec 5th, killed 6 Palestinians, and that got this all started... repeat:

ISRAEL BROKE THE CEASE FIRE! - Not Hamas.

ISRAEL BROKE THE CEASE FIRE! - Not Hamas.

What if the targets shown were American government buildings, as Hamas is the legit elected government? does it make it any different?

LOOK at maps of Israel today, and Israel "then" (1948) Tell me who grabbed land from who, and THEN you can tell me who is on the defense: THE MAPS SAY EVERYTHING

[Okay]

Took the time to check the website you posted to Ma'an News. I'm not sure the info is from a well rounded news source .

In any case being elected does not discount their name Hamas being on the recognized terrorist list. Even the Egyptian government has been reported to have been blockading Gaza as long as Hamas maintains control of the region.

[Michale32086]

As long as Hamas is firing missiles blindly into Israeli civilian neighborhoods and placing the missile launchers in Palestinian civilian neighborhoods, no one in their right mind will believe that the Israelis are the "bad guys".

Michale....

[ndp4949]

Lets be fair here. I think the problem is that everyone tries to take sides and only presents their side as the good side. There are rogue elements on both sides. No one defends Hamas' rocket fire on innocent civilians. But to blame the impoverished Palestinians for Hamas, or to suggest that their death is just collateral damage, is to diminish the very element you are claiming to fight against. If Hamas is a terrorist organization, and took over Gaza by force, why punish innocent Palestinians?

This was, and will be seen by most in the world, as an extremely overly aggressive use of force.

[eran24]

I agree with you completely. I try as much as i can to read and learn about the other side too (i'm an israeli), and I know that the only way to reach peace is to understand also the other side and it's needs.

But - I also understand that the way that the Hammas handles itslef forces us to hurt innocents too when we come to the point that we have to react.
The Hammas is a terrorist group, and they use the innocent people and facilities to hide themselves and their armor.

The Israeli attacks in Gaza are not random on civil areas - everything comes from the intelligence, and we try to avoid civil casualties as much as we can.

If the Hammas had more respect for human lives they wouldn't act as they are. It's all part of their strategy - to inflate the hatred in the streets, and get more sympathy from the world.

[Michale32086]

@Cobia

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eran24: "The Israeli army (IDF) will never hurt ON PURPOSE innocent people"

Tell that to the crew of the USS Liberty (AGTR-5), a passive American surveillance vessel.
A US Navy vessel (an ELINT/inte­lligence/s­py ship, in the days before satellites were dominant ), on * June 1967, sailing in international waters off the so-called 'holyland' during the 'Six Day War'. It was monitored, and identified, by the IDF for hours before being savagely attacked.
{{{{{

While I deplore the attack on an American warship, I understand the reasoning behind the attack. I can't fault Israel for doing what they did...

"I do not approve. I understand. Which is something entirely different."
-Commander Spock, STAR TREK, A Taste Of Armageddon

Michale....

[Okay]

It appears that Israeli forces have identified, and to a degree, destroyed specific Hamas targets according to their significance in the overall terrorist apparatus. This is much the same as any other military operation would be conducted throughout the world. Innocent lives are inadvertently lost in most operations like this. They regrettable and are not intended. The intention is to deprive functional components to a threatening organization.

Indiscriminately launching blind rockets into areas of the general civilian population, a practice adopted and intermittently employed by Hamas, is a completely different matter. The intention clearly being to strike fear into the general population regardless of political, religious, or ideological affiliation of the individual victim. Surely the average person can make distinction between the two strategies.

[Michale32086]

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Surely the average person can make distinction between the two strategies.
{{{{{

And yet, here we are....

Although I feel it's somewhat rude to refer to other commentators within another commentator's thread, I hope Ms Kloosterman will indulge me this one slight..

Mr Mitchell Bard has a very good commentary on the subject...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mitchell-bard/hamas-is-largely-to-blame_b_154021.html

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

@scalene

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funny you don't see how your own argument applies equally when israel kills palestinian children.
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The difference is that Israelis do not TARGET children or innocent civilians.

Hamas does..

That's the difference that makes ALL the difference..

Michale....

[broilinginhouston]

If they aren't targetting children or innocent civilians, then why are the Israelis killing so many of them?

Lousy aim?

[Michale32086]

Nope..

It's because Hamas is placing the missile launchers within civilian neighborhoods..

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

@jamilk99

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Of course it's not relevant to you because it's Palestinians who died. If 300 Israelis had been killed in one day, it would spark World War II instead of being dismissed as irrelevant.
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No...

It's irrelevant because the Palestinians who died, did so as the result of military operations. Their deaths, while regrettable, were a direct result of Hamas' terrorist attacks on Israelis and their penchant to place military hardware in civilian areas.

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

@RichardIII

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What is the distinction between killing innocent civilians on purpose as compared to killing them of a certainty collaterally? Both show the same indifference to innocent lives.
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It's the difference between intentional targeting and not intentionally targeting.

If Hamas would not intentionally place military targets in civilian areas, the innocent causalities of the Palestinian people would be greatly reduced.

Any collateral damage is the sole responsibility of Hamas...

Michale.....

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

@RichardIII

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How many killed so far are members of "Hamas et al" and how many are innocent civilians, or does it not matter?
{{{{{{

The Collateral Damage is regrettable and the responsibility for same is laid directly at the people who intentionally place military targets in civilian areas..

In this case, Hamas..

Michale.....

[Kevbo68]

Sadly, with the advance notice, many terrorist groups will place women and children right in harm's way for the sake of creating martyrs and to fuel cries of victimization. They want horrible photos to show to demonize their enemy.

A military/terrorist group that hides out amongst its people, therefore endangering them obviously doesn't give a crap what happens. It's about fueling the "holy" struggle because that's the only way they can maintain power over the populace. Peace puts them out of power. It's not a strategy unique to Hamas and sadly some Palestinians seem to put up with it or are unfortunately powerless for many reasons to escape their political/­racial/mil­itary confines.

Let's hope civilian casualties are as few as possible on both sides through this repeated ordeal.

[CarlosQC]

These photos remind me of the photos Colin Powell showed at the UN to say there were WMD in Iraq. The coward attacks of Israel over Palestinian civilians, could not have been done without the support of the US government.

"The U.S. Campaign to End the Israel Occupation (a member group pf UFPJ) has issued an action alert with these suggestions -- we urge you to take action today!

* Contact the White House to protest the attacks and demand an immediate cease-fire. Call 202-456-1111 or send an email to comments@w­hitehouse.­gov.
* Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here.
* Contact your Representative and Senators in Congress at 202-224-3121 or find contact info for your Members of Congress by clicking here.
* Contact your local media by phoning into a talk show or writing a letter to the editor.
* Organize a local protest or vigil.
* Sign our open letter to President-Elect Obama calling for a new U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine and find out other steps you can take to influence the incoming Administration.

In addition, the Middle East Children's Alliance (another member group of UFPJ) is working with health organizations in Gaza to procure the most-needed medicines and send them directly to Gaza with the help of the Free Gaza Movement.

[bermanator]

O and Rahm will laugh in your face. Civ ilians aren't the target, ter ror ists are. Make a distinction.

[Karin Kloosterman - Huffpost Blogger]

I think Americans are interested in supporting Israel, because if it didn't this Hamas Islamic fanaticism would be on your doorstep tomorrow.

Israel doesn't need America's approval to defend its nation.

[Michale32086]

Hear, hear...

VERY well said...

Michale.....

[darthmaul]

I'm sure there are many good reasons for supporting Israel, but your argument that "Hamas Islamic fanaticism would be on your doorstep tomorrow. " is a poor one. It is the same thing the American's heard from the Bush administration about our war with Iraq. In this case it was a slight variant of what you said, I believe it was "We're fighting them there, so we don't have to fight them here."

Israel could go a long way in tamping down the more radical Palestinian elements like Hamas if it woud stop building illegal settlements in the West bank. This activity marginalizes the moderate Palestinians and is an impediment to any peace plan. Obama is tougher then Bush. Expect less US support if settlement activities continue

[jamilk99]

Sure, because Hamas's bottle rockets that killed one Israeli will be able to reach the US tomorrow. Maybe the problem is that Israel is occupying their land. Don't give me the nonesense about Israel "withdrawing" from Gaza in 2005 because Israel still controls all of the borders including the one with Egypt and just made Gaza into the world's largest prison after it supposedly "withdrew."

Israel needs America's approval because those planes flying over Gaza were paid for with our tax dollars and those bombs being dropped say "Made in USA."

[RichardIII]

Karen, would you mind telling us how many of the photos shownare cropped and/or magnified duplicates of one another? Isn't that deceptive?

[ForObamaInDallas]

Ok, I'll finally post.

Fine, defend your nation. But quit doing it with our money. We'll see how well Isreal does then.

[Warthog]

You win battles by gaining territory. You win wars by gaining the hearts and minds of the people.
-Tzun Tsu The Art of War-

[Karin Kloosterman - Huffpost Blogger]

True. But when people are throwing bombs on your babies, you'll fight back, not write a Haiku poem.

[jamilk99]

Which side was it that had more babies killed? Only 1 Israeli has died and I don't think he was a baby. It's sad that he was a civilian but he wasn't a baby.

[scalene]

funny you don't see how your own argument applies equally when israel kills palestinian children.

[MsMadame]

Human nature precludes it, the need for some, mostly males to control, dominate,hoarde and thump their chest.

It is an ID, a limbic system animal thing.

[damnadamson]

Unfortunately smart bombs are not always that bright ! Peace is only found within americanwhocares.