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A Siege on Gaza City Is Not a War Crime

(Washington Post) Maj. (ret.) John Spencer - Israel has called for the mass evacuation of civilians from Gaza City, signaling that the final battle for the city is inevitable. As the disinformation campaign intensifies, accusations that sieges are illegal or immoral will surge. They are not. A siege, properly defined, is the surrounding and isolation of an enemy force to cut off supplies, reinforcement and maneuver, usually to compel surrender. It remains permitted under the laws of armed conflict when directed against combatants and undertaken with precautions to minimize harm to civilians. Indeed, it can be the best way to reduce civilian casualties. In almost every major urban operation of the last generation, the U.S. and its partners have surrounded a city, urged civilians to leave - and then began a well-planned attack. Given Israel's record thus far, its attack on Gaza City will be lawful, moral and necessary. The IDF will proceed like any modern military facing an entrenched enemy in dense cities. No government can allow a terrorist army to maintain a safe haven in a dense city while holding hostages and firing rockets. If Hamas refuses to release captives and surrender its grip on Gaza City, Israel is justified in completing its siege and assault until Hamas is defeated. The writer is chair of urban warfare studies at West Point's Modern War Institute.
2025-09-11 00:00:00
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