Thread

Updated Google Maps shows destruction of the city of Rafah

943 points · 947 comments · slowin

bognition · 1790616426 · focus · HN ↗
Its really telling to see the destruction limited to where the structures used to be rather than to all of the surrounding green spaces. If the destruction of civilian dwellings was purely an accident you'd expect to see the destruction spread evenly over the area. Instead it looks much more like a prolonged set of surgical strikes to destroy the buildings while preserving as much of the surrounding areas as possible.
For a great example of this, look at this pin <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZcMbdFcx87PrqoYNA" rel="nofollow">https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZcMbdFcx87PrqoYNA
And here's a pin of where the farms were spared <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/iZbbTH4iH27FCz4s9" rel="nofollow">https://maps.app.goo.gl/iZbbTH4iH27FCz4s9
1. biimugan · 1790619643 · focus · HN ↗
  I don't quite understand your argument here. In your first pin I'm struggling to find a single building that isn't leveled, or at least severely damaged. Even buildings far away from the city center in the boonies are leveled.
  1. cogman10 · 1790637175 · focus · HN ↗
    They are saying that this is genocidal destruction. In a war sometimes civilian infrastructure is hit as collateral. But here, all infrastructure is destroyed and it's clear this wasn't done by 1 or 2 errant bombs but rather because of direct targeting. It can't be argued to be an accident because in farmland you see no bombs which hit the farmland by mistake. In other-words, this is entirely purposeful.
    rbanffy · 1790645192 · focus · HN ↗
    A war requires at least two militaries. This is what happens when a well armed military engages a mostly unarmed civilian society unable to mount significant opposition.
    torton · 1790649958 · focus · HN ↗
    "Before the October 7, 2023 attacks, the total size of Hamas’s military wing (the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades) was estimated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and intelligence agencies to be between 25,000 and 30,000 fighters, with some intelligence assessments placing the upper limit as high as 40,000. This army was organized into five regional brigades and 24 battalions."
    "Hamas's military force prior to October 7, 2023, was roughly 3 to 4.5 times larger than the United States military when measured as a percentage of their respective total populations."
    rbanffy · 1790671398 · focus · HN ↗
    You don't need to compare the military forces. You can compare the casualties on both sides or, for a different perspective, you might count the civilians killed inside their own territories (you might count the West Bank if you really want accurate numbers).
    Forced displacement is also considered a war crime and, considering what is happening in Gaza and at the West Bank, it would qualify as genocide as well.
    jayGlow · 1790677096 · focus · HN ↗
    comparing the casualties just shows that Hamas are incompetent not that they aren't trying.
    rbanffy · 1790679502 · focus · HN ↗
    I was hoping the numbers would make it obvious the reaction is disproportionate and careless with the lives of civilians.
    lukan · 1790689430 · focus · HN ↗
    Yeah, there even is this old archaic rule from the bible/torah/quran, "eye for an eye" that is usually considered barbaric and outdated. But here they go by 35:1 ratio.
    gegtik · 1790689578 · focus · HN ↗
    new Voight-Kampff test just dropped
    rbanffy · 1790692151 · focus · HN ↗
    I wish I could turn off empathy at my convenience.
    erkt · 1790689599 · focus · HN ↗
    They are not civilians.
    They launched a war against their neighbors, poorly.
    They hid the tunnels of their army, poorly.
    There is only one solution to the Gaza problem, no more Gaza.
    jibalt · 1790692341 · focus · HN ↗
    It is obvious, but it is also to be expected that a significant number of people here, as elsewhere, will rationalize genocide ... and the comment you responded to is particularly crude in its lack of humanity.
    jayGlow · 1790896386 · focus · HN ↗
    Hamas has launched 19,000 missiles at Israel should they just stop intercepting them to make the death toll more even? If someone refuses to stop attacking you what's the appropriate response do you just sit there while they try to kill you?
    <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/06/11/19000-rockets-launched-at-israel-since-hamass-october-7-atrocities/" rel="nofollow">https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/06/11/19000-rockets-launch...
    jayGlow · 1790896501 · focus · HN ↗
    Hamas has launched 10s of thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel what is an appropriate response for them? Should they just sit there letting someone try to kill them or should they retaliate? How many casualties is an acceptable amount?
    <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/06/11/19000-rockets-launched-at-israel-since-hamass-october-7-atrocities/" rel="nofollow">https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2024/06/11/19000-rockets-launch...
    newspaper1 · 1790898496 · focus · HN ↗
    What do they expect when they murder an entire country full of people and steal their land? Israel shouldn't exist, problem solved.
    jayGlow · 1790958063 · focus · HN ↗
    When did they murder an entire country? Last time I checked people still live in Palestine, in fact the population been steadily increasing over the past 40 or so years. Is your solution that the people of Israel should just die instead of fighting back?
    newspaper1 · 1790959079 · focus · HN ↗
    <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba
    Every Israeli prime minister has been European. Every one. The answer is to return to their homeland and let the remaining Palestinians return to theirs.

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