Presidential Nominee Harris Treads Carefully on Gaza War

Vice President Kamala Harris walked a tight line at the Democratic National Convention last night when addressing the war in Gaza. At first, she condemned Hamas’ atrocities on October 7 and vowed to always protect Israel’s right to exist.

“Let me be clear: I will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that a terrorist organization called Hamas caused on Oct. 7, including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival,” Harris said.

However, the Democratic nominee quickly pivoted to focus on the civilians caught in the crossfire. “What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating,” she acknowledged, describing scenes of “desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again.”

While there is no question that innocent Gazans have lost their lives, Israel is dealing with a complex war whose enemy uses its populace as human shields. Unlike Hamas, who sent in their men to slaughter 1,200 innocent people on Oct 7, Israel has gone through painstaking efforts to restrain itself.

Extensive ethical training is a core component of IDF preparation, where soldiers undergo courses on international law, combat ethics, and moral decision-making before being sent out into the field.

A hallmark of IDF operations is the practice of warning civilians before strikes in populated areas. This includes dropping leaflets, making phone calls, and using ‘roof knocking’ techniques to alert residents. Israeli forces often undertake riskier ground operations instead of relying solely on airstrikes and also provide medical care to wounded civilians.

When Israel does launch an airstrike, it’s always done in a way that’s calculated beforehand to reduce collateral damage. The IDF has been known to abort missions when the risk to civilian life is deemed too high, even if it means missing high-profile terrorists.

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