We should be careful not to conflate Hamas' militarism with the Palestinians

[sboatcar]

3. I think we need to realize it on both sides

While a response to an attack from Hamas is warranted, the overwhelming force that IDF has exerted against the people of Gaza isn't going to help the situation at all. I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet that the majority of Israeli people aren't in full support of this war. Neither side is doing anyone any favors here, but I feel like the situation that Israel ended up putting the Gazan people in, by walling them off, and essentially treating Gaza like its nothing but terrorists doesn't improve the goodwill towards them at all. It creates an environment where its easy for extremist groups to recruit people, and then it just continues to spiral further and further out of control.
Unfortunately I think the people in charge in both places are in the wrong in this situation, and they have been for a long time, and its the civilians who end up suffering because of it. It seems like there's been a lot of dehumanization between both Hamas and Israel's governments, and that makes it easier for the more extreme elements to commit atrocities. I just wish both sides would take a few steps back and start talking like reasonable people. Destroying Gaza isn't going to help the situation at all, and neither is firing thousands of rockets from Gaza and kidnapping and murdering people on the part of Hamas.
Its a really sad situation, and I wish that calmer heads would prevail there, but I don't really see much hope in either side backing down.