The situation was summed up by Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu who said in a nationally televised address:

"What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will
reverberate with them for generations."

"We have only started striking."

Israel has increased air strikes on the Gaza Strip and
sealed it off from food, fuel, electricity and other crucial
supplies. The relentless airstrikes has levelled buildings,
bodies are accumulating everywhere.

Israeli military summoned 300,000 reservists. A massive
mobilization in a short time - threatening greater destruction
in the densely populated impoverished Gaza Strip.

Conditions will continue to fester and produce cycles of
violence while people continue to take sides, finger-pointing
at each other.

When will we all yell in unison - "Enough! This must stop!"-

This needs to be resolved by mutual recognition and
compromise.

If only a just and enduring solution could be found which
recognizes the legitimate aspirations of both the Jewish
and Palestinian peoples. What we are seeing now - nothing
justifies the violence, the taking of hostages, the killing
of people, the awful scenes being engaged in.

An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

"I see that Hamas is preventing civilians from evacuating from North Gaza because it needs its human shields."

Tell me Charter Boat...
Does this look like Hamas is preventing them from leaving, or does it look like Israel is actively bombing the women and kids trying to leave?

This is before:

http://twitter.com/DrLoupis/status/1712994302203162813
Palestinian convoy bombed by Israel minutes before the bombing has emerged.
The majority of the convoy appears to be made up of children and women
In Israel's attack, 70 Palestinians in the convoy were killed, and more than 200 Palestinians were injured.

And this is after:

http://twitter.com/DagnyTaggart963/status/1712962533412295101
Previously, the Israeli authorities themselves ordered the Palestinians to leave the north to south of the Gaza Strip.

What Hamas did the other day should be denounced
(no-one in good conscience can support the killing of innocent people);
Even though you have to put it into perspective
- Which is 'The Zionist State of Israel will never change their policy unless 'forced' - that's a fact.
But what Israel is doing right now are the worst kind of war crimes I've seen, and millions of people are seeing it and will see it.

I have 2 questions bugging me.

The first relates to whether Israel knew the attack was coming, allowed it to happen in order to capitalise from it.
There's only 2 options here, they knew or they didn't.

The second relates to whether Hamas did it on purpose in complete anticipation of the inevitable heavy handed response, knowing that with today's social media Israel's response (and nature) would be laid bare for all the world to see, and that public opinion might turn against Israel and that might lead to change.

I got heaps more dead women and kids to show.
Maybe you all need to see some more.

'There's only 2 options here, they knew or they didn't.'

They knew something was coming, they just underestimated the size, and impact on the world community.
Best laid plans of mice and men

'Should we get involved?'

In what?
Australians can't decide on a simple vote as 'the voice' and you ask the question as to whether we should get involved.
Who are you going to help? the dead children?
Should have given it some thought a long time ago.
Best we can do now is send over coffins 'cos they're going to need a lot of them.

It is bizarre, even for a Leftist ideologue like Penny Wong, to call for "restraint" when dealing with people intent on killing you.

Now, even Captain Mainwaring of Dad's Army - aka Mike Burgess of ASIO - is bleating for people to "tone down their language" because of "opportunistic violence" in Australia.

There is no room for 'nice and polite' after a terrorist attack on a democratic country. It has to be all out wham bang on the part of Israel, with the added backing of the U.S Sixth Fleet in the area, and Biden's warning for "third parties" to keep out. The U.S presence seems to be a warning to the terror-sponsor, Iran, and Hezbollah.

There can be no restraint against against child-murderers and rapists, and while it is distressing to see Palestinian children (all children are innocent) traumatised, injured or killed in Gaza amid the ruins of their homes, it has to be remembered that Hamas received the largest share of the vote from their parents and elders in 2006. They've had 17 years to at least try to mend their mistake - if they do admit it was a mistake, and didn't expect Israel to continue giving their terrorist leaders the kid glove treatment.

Russia recognises Hamas as the representatives of Palestinians, and it has been observed that some of Hamas's tactics are like those of the Russians in Ukraine. Hamas thugs pop in and out of Moscow all the time.

Lucky for Israel that Russia is otherwise engaged, and probably short of rubles to add to Iran's rials. Although, the U.S might have to cut back aid
to Ukraine, if Israel needs help for long; which would help Russia.

In the meantime, useful talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia (which Iran does not like) are being held up.

Baldrick,

Were those even the same vehicles? You have lied so many times before I don't see 70 dead. Maybe they were Nazis or the Palestinians bombed themselves?