There are innocents in Gaza      

A released hostage, Mia Schem, stated,”I experienced hell.” and also “Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one,” she said. “[Innocent civilians] don’t exist.” 

https://www.timesofisrael.com/freed-hostage-mia-schem-i-experienced-hell-everyone-in-gaza-is-a-terrorist/

She continued that young children would open the door just to stare at her.  What she experienced was horrific during the atrocious October 7th attack and subsequently while she was held as a hostage.  I cannot say that I understand her sufferings; I don’t.  Few can who have not experienced such horror.  I certainly feel deeply for her suffering and for those she knew who were killed and others still in captivity.

But I think I can understand her rage, anger, and contempt for those who shot her, took her prisoner, and abused her.  But these strong and well-justified emotions are not a good basis of moral responsibility nor legal culpability.  As any reader of my blog posts knows, I start with the children.  Suppose a 6-year-old Gazan boy stared at her.  Suppose this 6-year-old boy cursed her and while she was bound slapped her across the face.  Is that 6-year-old morally responsible for October 7th?  Is he even morally responsible for his abusive behavior?   He has been carefully taught to hate by his parents, teachers, and elders.

I do not see that even a 10-year-old throwing stones at Israeli troops is guilty.  He, too, has been carefully taught.  Perhaps we can start moral responsibility at 15 or 16.  Under that age, kids are innocent however hateful their deeds.  8,000 kids have been killed which is about 100 a day since the bombing began

As to the culpability of adult Gazans, I calculated based on the 2006 election results and the current Gazan population pyramid that only 10% of living Gazans could have voted for Hamas.  See my TOI post: https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/statistical-verification-and-morality/    Does voting for Hamas 17 years ago make one culpable for October 7th, 2023?  Is an American who voted for Bush and Cheney in 2000 and thus their PNAC (Project for the New American Century) project to depose Saddam Hussein by war, culpable for Abu Ghraib?

Statements such as “Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one,……   Innocent civilians don’t exist.” are a warrant for genocide.  Kill them, expel them, destroy them.    No need for Israelis to feel guilty when 8,000 kids are killed, or 80,000 for that matter.  Based on the Gaza population pyramid there are about 800,000 kids available to be killed (see Gazan population pyramid below)

Gaza population pyramid (2020):

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.53% (male 418,751/female 397,013)