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The Debate over Gaza Tactics
(National Review) David French - According to the Law of Armed Conflict, every Hamas rocket attack - which is aimed directly at Israeli civilians - is a war crime. Furthermore, Hamas' use of civilian buildings changes their status from civilian to military since a civilian object can be converted to a legitimate military target when used for military purposes. Even buildings specially protected under international law - including mosques and hospitals - lose their protected status when used for military purposes. Hamas is responsible for the civilian deaths that result from its decision to wear civilian clothes and launch rockets from civilian buildings. But for Hamas' decision to use human shields, those civilians would not be in the zone of conflict or subject to military targeting. Even in the fog of war there can still be legal clarity, and it is clear that the criminal entity in Gaza is Hamas, not the Israel Defense Forces.