You’re almost as wrong about this as you are about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as you’d know if you’d read the very post you were responding to in full where I rebuked Magiver for expressing such a sentiment.
The irony is almost too perfect.
This is a breaking news thread.
Not Great Debates or the Pit.
I’m closing and flagging this thread for moderation.
Thanks, @What_Exit.
Moderating:
As noted, this is a breaking news thread. Let’s keep it clean for posting new, developing information on this event.
For discussions you wish to pursue that go beyond breaking news, either start a new thread or take it up in an appropriate existing one, such as @Whack-a-Mole started above.
So much misinformation! Reposting from the other thread:
Here’s what Netanyahu said:
An accurate translation reads, ‘All the places that Hamas hides in and operates from - we will turn them into rubble. I am telling the citizens of Gaza, leave these places now.’
He’s talking about destroying specific buildings.
Netanyahu is odious and vile. I feel dirty for having had to defend him, and will never forgive you for making me do so 
<< I goofed and posted in the wrong thread…my mistake…deleted by poster and apologies >>
No doubt Israel has the tech to see exactly where rockets are fired from. In many cases Hamas will deliberately be using residential buildings or buildings in residential areas. Under these circumstances, I think Israel is perfectly justified in hitting these locations - that’s probably what we’re already seeing with air strikes. So he’s telling civilians to leave these locations, at least.
The near-certainty that this attack will lead to the total destruction of Hamas as a military force, and the likelihood that Hamas’s leaders are aware of this, makes me worry a great deal. Why would Hamas commit organizational suicide like this? Murderous as they are, surely their leaders want Hamas to continue to exist. As terrible as these attacks are, they don’t appear to actually threaten the existence of Israel (similar to how 9/11 didn’t threaten the existence of the USA).
My worry is that this is the first shoe to drop, and not the entirety of their plan. Otherwise, it’s a nonsensical grand murder-suicide mission for the entire organization.
The problem is, these are not purpose-built launching sites. Hamas will move rockets into one place, fire them off and then that is it. Sure Israel can probably know where the rocket came from but, blowing that place up, is pretty much useless. Hamas is long gone and there are no rockets left there. Instead, some poor family that happens to live close by gets blown up.
That would be enormously stupid. He was in charge when this happened, it’s his ball to drop. Further, the military hierarchy has been telling him for months that his nonsense with the courts is hurting thekr readiness levels.
Right now everyone is banding together to respond to the invasion. He’s going to form an emergency government with the opposition parties. But when this is all over he’ll be crucified for dropping the ball this bad.
Just like they’ve done in prior conflicts. The fact that some people treat this as a call to wipe Gaza off the map reeks of “let’s you and him fight”.
It’s possible that they hoped Hezbollah would join in.
Moderating:
Knowing this, I have no idea why you posted in this thread. Stop it.
AGAIN, this is a breaking news thread. Take discussion about speculative matters to other threads. I won’t ask again. Warnings will issue if there is further “what if?” discussion in this thread, which should be confined to actual events occurring. What they mean is for discussion elsewhere.
I am VERY sorry! I thought I was in the GD thread I made. It was a mistake. I deleted my post.
Genuine apologies to all.
Wrong thread
I do take their religious zealotry a face value. They are fanatics for whom martyrdom in jihad is the highest virtue, and who have faith that God is on their side.
So I see no reason to assume that they must be behaving rationally, and infer some strategic plan. Look at all those who joined ISIS, nobody thinking rationally could have imagined that would end well for them.
Maybe. But this is the first time (IIRC) they’ve tried anything on this scale, after decades and decades of smaller-scale operations. I guess we’ll find out soon. Hopefully my worries are unfounded.
I think this may be true of the common foot-soldier in Hamas but I think those in power are not guided by zealotry. Even if they are truly devout they understand the broader realities of waging a war or insurrection or insurgency (or whatever you want to call it).