Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, responded Monday to the tragic strike at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital that killed 20 people by invoking President Dwight Eisenhower’s words about the grim realities of war.
“President Dwight Eisenhower once said: ‘War is a grim, cruel business, a business justified only as a means of sustaining the forces of good against those of evil,’” Leiter wrote on X Monday evening. The ambassador then applied this historical perspective to the current conflict, adding that “war is especially grim when fighting a death cult like Hamas that uses human shields to spread murder and mayhem.”
Leiter acknowledged the severity of Monday’s incident while defending Israel’s military campaign. “Today’s tragic mistake at the Nasser Hospital is being investigated by the IDF so that it is not repeated,” he stated. “Non-combatants are never targeted and innocent deaths are a tragedy.”
The ambassador placed full responsibility for the ongoing conflict on Hamas. “Responsibility for this war lies with Hamas. It can end immediately with their surrender,” he wrote, directing followers to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement on the matter.
Netanyahu issued a statement expressing regret over the airstrike at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis that killed rescuers and several journalists. “Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.”
The prime minister emphasized Israel’s objectives: “Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home.”
Early reports suggested that Nasser Hospital was hit twice — a second time as rescue personnel arrived on scene. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the event and expressed regret, launching an immediate inquiry.
The IDF issued a statement explaining the incident: “Earlier today, IDF troops carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. We are aware of reports that harm was caused to civilians, including journalists.” The military emphasized that “the IDF does not intentionally target civilians” and “makes every effort to mitigate harm to civilians, while ensuring the safety of our troops.”
The IDF statement highlighted the operating environment: “We are operating in an extremely complex reality. Hamas terrorists deliberately use civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as shields. They have even operated from the Nasser hospital itself.” The military noted that “Hamas began this war, created impossible fighting conditions — and is preventing its end by still holding 50 hostages.”
The Chief of the General Staff instructed that an inquiry be conducted immediately “to understand the circumstances of what happened and how it happened.” The IDF stated it would “present our findings as transparently as possible” and expressed regret for “any harm to uninvolved individuals.”
The hospital incident underscores the complex challenge Israel faces against Hamas, which deliberately uses civilian infrastructure as shields and views civilian casualties as a propaganda advantage. As urban warfare expert John Spencer told Breitbart News, Hamas’s strategy centers on “getting as many civilians killed as possible to martyr them all” so that international pressure forces Israel to halt operations, allowing the terrorist organization to preserve its military capabilities and claim victory through survival.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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