> The rule of proportionality requires that the anticipated incidental loss of human life and damage to civilian objects should not be excessive in relation to

> The rule of proportionality requires that the anticipated incidental loss of human life and damage to civilian objects should not be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage expected from the destruction of a military objective.. (From the Geneva Convention) The Israeli military goal is to destroy Hamas, which started the war, and is hiding in and under densely populated cities. So the question becomes how you can destroy Hamas without unnecessary civilian casualties. My impression is that Israel is doing pretty OK with that, though things can always be better, and tragic mistakes are inevitable in war. A common misconception is that the response needs to be proportionate to the attack. So if Hamas killed 1200 people on Oct 7, Israel should not kill more than that. That is not at all how the laws of war work!