Israeli strike on a Gazan school kills scores of Palestinians: Letters

The Issue: An Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza, which was reported to contain Hamas militants.

In its nearly two decades of administering Gaza, Hamas did little to develop Gaza’s economy — yet spent more than $1 billion building an extensive network of underground tunnels and embedding themselves under the civilian population (“Lesson for Hamas,” July 11).

Hamas has its command centers in various buildings, including schools — storing weapons and munitions in them and firing missiles from areas adjacent to them.
Anyone who truly grieves for the lives lost in this conflict should be urging Hamas to return the hostages to Israel and surrender.

Toby Block

Atlanta, Ga.

Regardless of who is in power, America will continue to allow the slaughter of thousands of civilians in Gaza at the hands of the barbaric and ruthless Israeli regime.

This mocks our reputation as a shining beacon on a hill. And in a further demonstration of this perverse retreat from morality, we continue to arm Israel with massive 2,000-pound bombs to further the onslaught of a destitute population that has been stripped of human dignity by Israel. We citizens must work to help restore America’s moral compass.

Sid Sussman

Hallandale, Fla.

When you or I get cancer, our instinct is to fight it by various means.

We cut it out, radiate it out, chemo it out and then hope for remission. Israel must likewise use the IDF to cut Hamas out of existence.

Paul Burgdorf

Latham

The article’s claim about Israel bombing a school was attributed to “local health authorities.”

The fact that these people are from Hamas’ Gaza Health Ministry was omitted. Furthermore, this building was no more a functional school than Osama bin Laden’s hideout was a private residence.

Per usual, Hamas was launching military operations from the putatively civilian building, which then made it a legitimate military target. It’s disappointing to see pro-Hamas propaganda printed.

Daniel Trigoboff

Williamsville

Nothing like killing women and children in an airstrike and then claiming it was an enemy stronghold. Israeli atrocities must stop.

Peter Peirano

Ridgewood, NJ

Another day of war in Gaza and another day of tragedy, albeit at disputed levels.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Health Ministry and its Civil Defense agency, claims more than 90 people, mainly children, were killed in the strike on a Hamas command site. Israel, which has taken extraordinary measures to limit civilian casualties, says the numbers are exaggerated.

Hamas has a proven record of distorting casualty numbers, and it counts its fighters along with civilian casualties.

On the other hand, the IDF’s after-action analyses point to significantly lower numbers. Regardless, I believe Hamas bears responsibility for any innocent loss of life.

Stanley Rubin

Fresh Meadows

Once again, Israel has bombed a school in Gaza, resulting in many civilian casualties under the justification that Hamas was allegedly taking shelter there.

President Biden’s red line that he set because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted to invade Rafah has already been crossed many times, starting with an attack on a tent camp in Rafah that also resulted in many casualties. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is allowed to continue the war with impunity.

Jan Verniers

Arnhem, Netherlands

Hamas has started five wars since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, all of which ended with cease-fires that Hamas never honored. If Hamas is not destroyed, another war will follow.

Mel Young

Lawrence

The conflict in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of horror, as evidenced by the recent bombing of the al-Tabin school.

This strike, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians, many of whom were praying in a mosque, has left us grappling with the stark reality of the war’s brutality. The destruction of schools and hospitals, which should be sanctuaries of safety, underscores the systematic nature of the violence inflicted upon the people of Gaza.

Jagjit Singh

Los Altos, Calif.

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