Elder of Ziyon takes issue with the claim recently made in the far-left British Guardian, that 83% of those killed in Gaza have been civilians. Apparently the only people in Gaza who can be considered combatants are those to whom the IDF can identify by name; all the others must be assumed to have been civilians. This has never been a requirement in the history of warfare. But for Israel, there are always special rules. More on the rules imposed on Israel, and on no other combatant in the history of war, can be found here: “Yet another new rule for Israel and Israel alone (courtesy @TheGuardian and @972mag),” Elder of Ziyon, August 25, 2025:
The Guardian, relying on a +972 Magazine investigation, claims that 83% of casualties in Gaza are civilians, based on a simplistic calculation. With a reported total death toll of 53,000 as of May 2025 and a classified Israeli military database listing 8,900 named Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fighters as dead or probably dead, these “brain surgeons” conclude that everyone not on the list must be a civilian. This assumption defies logic.Critics have rightly pointed out its absurdity. Last January, Israel estimated over 20,000 terrorist deaths, far exceeding the 8,900 names in the database, which was never intended as a comprehensive tally but rather a partial intelligence record. Yet, an unspoken new rule has emerged, seemingly crafted exclusively for Israel: they must know and list the names of every person they kill.
Has any nation in the 4,000-year history of warfare been expected to know the names of all enemy dead? Let alone assume that everyone not named is a civilian? Consider these examples:
Ukraine claims to have killed or injured approximately 600,000 Russian troops by August 2025. If a list of named casualties exists, it likely includes only a few hundred at best. By The Guardian’s logic, 99% of Russians killed would be civilians—a patently absurd conclusion.
The U.S. estimated killing around 900,000 enemy combatants (primarily Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces) during the Vietnam War (1955–1975), but no detailed list of names was maintained. Applying The Guardian’s standard, nearly all would be classified as civilians, despite the military nature of the conflict.
Never before has a belligerent been held to such an unrealistic standard—until now, with Israel.
Somehow, Israel has set a record for the number of unprecedented demands placed upon it, demands never once imposed on any party in any war in history:
1. One party is expected to list the names of all enemy soldiers killed.
The IDF has identified by name about 8,900 Hamas combatants. Therefore, we are to assume that all the other 44,100 deaths in Gaza (for a total of 53,000) must have been civilians. But no army in history has listed the names of all of the soldiers it has killed; their totals are always estimates. Yet Israel, alone among the nations of the earth, is allowed to include in its list of combatants killed only those who are known by name to the IDF. It’s an impossible requirement.
2. One party must provide aid to the enemy with the full knowledge that the aid is used by the enemy to strengthen itself economically.
Israel is the only country that is expected to provide aid to its enemy, such as the food aid that is stolen, hoarded, and re-sold by Hamas, in order to pay salaries for its troops and for weapons smuggled in from Egypt.
3. Civilians are not allowed to leave the areas of fighting to go to other countries.
Hamas is intent on preventing Gazans from leaving Gaza itself for the safety of other countries. It wants to keep them in the Strip, where they can be used by Hamas as hostages, whose presence will limit the IDF’s freedom to wage war, for fear of harming civilians.
4. Israel is criticized for relocating Gazans within the Strip in order to prevent them from being endangered by the fighting.
Any relocation of Gazans by the IDF is immediately denounced as if it were moving them into an active war zone, rather than out of such a zone. Israel is trying to minimize civilian casualties; Hamas is trying to increase them, by keeping them in areas of active fighting.
Cynthia says
83% of Gazan civilians are Hamas supporters, so therefore terrorists.
Melisa Sharp says
The entire pro-pali movement are a bunch of sadistic covert narcissists. They can do literally anything willy nilly and not be held to any standard. But Israel is held to an impossible standard. The only way for these psychopaths to be happy is if Israel and America is wiped off the face off the earth and they would still make it Israel’s and America”s fault.
They’re a demonic movement guided by Satan. Hatred fueled deceit is their # 1 tool to tricking millions of gullible people people in the west so they can raise funding to fund political candidates, build mosques etc…
Melisa Sharp says
The entire pro-pali movement are a bunch of sadistic covert narcissists. They can do literally anything willy nilly and not be held to any standard. But Israel is held to an impossible standard. The only way for these psychopaths to be happy is if Israel and America is wiped off the face off the earth and they would still make it Israel’s and America”s fault.
They’re a demonic movement guided by Satan. Hatred fueled deceit is their # 1 tool to tricking millions of gullible people people in the west so they can raise funding to fund political candidates, build mosques etc…
OLD GUY says
Yes millions and millions of DOLLARS are changing hands between Islamic states and Western leaders and the media to support Islam and the WAR against Israel.