A British citizen is among dozens of festival attendees who are missing, kidnapped or presumed dead

The Israeli rescue service Zaka says its paramedics removed more than 260 bodies from a music festival that came under attack by Hamas militants.

The total figure of bodies found is expected to be higher, as other paramedic teams were also working in the area and Zaka added that the bodies “haven’t all been collected yet”.

Early on Saturday morning, Hamas targeted Nova music festival, a techno rave in the desert near the border with Gaza.

Videos shared on social media and by Israeli news outlets showed dozens of festival-goers running through an open field as gunshots rang out. Many hid in nearby fruit orchards or were gunned down as they fled.

  • be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social
    1·
    9 months ago

    (For whatever reason I had to go read your comment on Lemmy again.)

    Without a doubt, I think the settlements are abhorrent and incredibly counter-productive to peace. They’re not recognized by literally any other country for that express reason.

    However, that does not justify the actions that took place over the weekend.

    I completely agree that there are no good guys here, and targeting an explicitly non-military target like a music festival is not something to be justified.

    They can be explained, and I do think it’s not wrong to say that some of Israel’s actions have contributed

    They can’t just be explained, they can be easily explained, I think.

    As everyone keeps pointing out, Israel is far stronger militarily and likely could ethnic cleanse Gaza if they chose (edit:and seem to be often lauded for their restraint in not being worse than they are to the Palestinians). And that sounds great until you wonder then why don’t they use their strength in a way that doesn’t escalate? They can choose not to ratchet things up, but from what I’m reading they already have. And I think we also agree that the continued existence of the settlements is an unending provocation.

    https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-gaza-area-bombed-after-warning-to-move

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israel-bombs-egypt-border-crossing-it-had-touted-as-an-escape-route-for-besieged-palestinians/ar-AA1hYfk2

    That’s not “we’re going in to get whoever did this and we’re not being too polite about it”, that’s pretty wanton targeting of civilians. You don’t create more people who want to fight fair doing those things, especially when your side is NOT the “barely subsisting” side, but rather the side that possesses the technology and skill to be far more surgical if they chose.

    I’ve lived my entire life in the US and I have uncritically accepted our relationship with Israel for most of my life. But their actions are no easier to defend than Hamas’ actions in some cases, IMO.