The death of civilians is always tragic. However I have little sympathy for the terrorists that surround Israel. The history is long and complex, and Israel has done wrong at times, but it has also bent over backwards on numerous occasions to accommodate their demands, and the terrorists have consistently thrown concessions back in their faces, then immediately followed up with violence against civilians. The idea that any of these terrorists want peace simply does not fit with the evidence. They do not want peace, and they could not have been clearer about that in what they have said and done. They have been very clear about what they want, which is the total destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. Hamas has founding documents that state their genocidal aims. I am sick of the spineless BBC failing to call them what they are. Genocide is the end game for Hamas, who have no more 'political' legitimacy than Isis, or Hitler. The level of depravity of the attacks on Israel this month demonstrate how evil they are.
For those who are interested, some history:
The land supposedly in question has been Israeli since Moses wandered in there 1300 years before the birth of Christ. If you look at the ancient maps, practically the whole territory is divided between the Kingdom of Israel and the Davidic Kingdom of Judah, i.e. all the twelve tribes of Israel. The Jews were invaded and exiled by Assyrians and Babylonians then returned around 500BC when they rebuilt the temple for the first time. Then they were invaded by the Romans. The Jews rebelled about 130AD. The name 'Palestine' didn't exist until then, 1200 years after the Jewish Kingdoms were established, and was named 'Palestine' by the Romans as an insult to Jews precisely because the land was considered to be Jewish ancestral land. Note that Islam hasn't even been founded yet, and won't be founded until 636AD which is about when Arabs first invade and settle in Israel. In 1099 - 1291 the Crusaders take the land. Then Muslims rule for about 200 years. They are ousted by the Ottomans in the early 1500's who rule until the end of WW1. A large Jewish population remains in Israel throughout this time, with many also being exiled at various points. So at worst, the Jews have an equal claim on their own land. So there's that.
Now the modern history...because of anti-semitism after WW1, it's decided that the Jews really need a homeland. They are promised all of modern Israel and modern Jordan by the (British) Balfour declaration. Meanwhile there are large Arab pogroms of Jews in Jerusalem, (yes, Hitler didn't invent them), for praying at the Western wall. Which their ancestors built. More anti-Jewish riots, murders and pogroms for a decade, until the Brits have had enough and create a partitioned state in 1937 to appease the constant Arab anti-semitism and violence. By 1939 millions of Jews want to move home because of rampant anti-semitism in Europe, but the Brits restrict it because of tensions with the Arabs.
WW2. Arab leaders meet with Hitler to seek and endorse 'the final solution'. Post WW2, and 9 million exterminated Jews later, the Brits want out and the UN takes over and partitions 'Palestine' offering the Jews not much (i.e. the Negev desert and a bit more land) as Jerusalem and most of the surrounding areas are internationally controlled. The Jews accept, but the Arabs continue to attack and kill them. Israel finally declares independence in 1948. It's founding documents invite Arabs in the area to stay and be equal citizens. All the Arabic states (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi) around Israel declare war. Yes, we're 4 years out from the holocaust, but they haven't got the memo and remain rabidly racist against the Jewish people. Somehow the Jews retain the small areas that they have, except Jerusalem. The PLO (a terrorist group) is founded shortly afterwards, (presumably named the PLO in order to pretend that a Palestinian state exists and needs to be 'liberated' in much the same way 'the people's democratic Republic of North Korea' is neither for the people, nor democratic, nor a Republic).
1967 and the six day war: All the Arab states around mobilise to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but Israel sees it coming. They attack first and take the Golan heights, the Sinai desert, the Gaza strip, Judaea, Sumeria and the old city of Jerusalem. UN calls for negotiations. Israel gradually hands parts back, in return the Arabs reiterate their '3 No's'. No peace, No recognition, No negotiations, only the total destruction of Israel is acceptable. 1973 Yom Kippur war: (holiest day in the jewish calendar) Arabs attack again, Israel again defends (and slightly enlarges) it's borders.
1979 Camp David agreement: Israel agrees peace with Egypt in exchange for the Sinai desert being returned to Egypt. Egyptian president is then assassinated for agreeing peace with Israel. 1982 - Jordan kicks out the terrorist PLO into Lebanon who (naturally) start firing rockets at Israel. Israel defends itself, then occupies Lebanon, and again later hands the territory back to the terrorists who continue to attack Israel.
1987-1991 loads more riots and terrorism from 'Palestinians'. HW Bush/Clinton gets Israel to negotiate with mass murdering terrorist Arafat. All Arafat has to do is recognise Israel's right to exist and stop the terrorism. Total bust, more terrorism. 1998: Netinyahu offers concessions including self-governance to the Palestinian areas, just leave Israel alone. But, No, No, No, more terrorism. 2000: Israel offers control of temple mount (built/rebuilt 3 times by Jews over a period of 1500 years before Islam even existed) to Palestine, with recognition Jews can go there, also offers governance of Gaza, Judaea and Sumeria (i.e. a large Palestinian state. But, no, no, no, more terrorism).
2004: Arafat dies and is replaced by Abbas (who wrote his doctoral dissertation on denying the holocaust). The Jews remove Jewish settlements and people from Gaza and hand it to Palestinians who immediately burn it all down, then hold an election where ....SURPRISE....Hamas terrorists are 'elected'. Israel offers Judaea and Sumeria again, but, No, No, No we'll have another war in Gaza instead. An area Israel obviously does not want. Israel shuts it down. And repeat.
Obama era: He tries to cuddle up to Iran. Iran uses Obama's money to spread terrorism all over the middle east (e.g. the proxy war with Saudi in Yemen). As a result Saudi, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain and others start to cooperate with Israel as they are more palatable than Iran.
Trump era: US backs Israel on ownership of Jerusalem/Golan heights etc and supports ties between Israel/Saudi and the Saudi satellites. US removes funding from all the anti-semite groups.
Biden era: Reinstates aid to the anti-semite terrorist groups (Hamas, 15 years in power now remember, continue to use it buy rockets instead of for economic development - Israel still controls the water and power supply (for free) because Hamas cannot be trusted with it). Biden also starts cosying up to Iran again. So big surprise, Hamas is emboldened to attack Israel, yet again.
Throughout all this time, Israel has remained a functioning democracy with equal rights for its residents whether Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Israeli, Palestinian etc. (Oh, except that it doesn't control it's most holy sites of course, although it's claim on them is the most historic).
Any decent person is repulsed by the deaths of innocent civilians that we see in the media, the problem is that being a decent person just does not extend to members of Hamas. They do not care, which is why, even when warned in advance, they have consistently refused to move children out of the line of fire because they see their death as a fair price for some bad publicity for Israel. The bottom line is that if Israel laid its weapons down today it would be annihilated, but if Hamas laid them down, the Palestinians would be left alone to build the decent future Hamas denies them.
Westerners waving Palestinian flags should learn some history.