It should be no surprise that casualty statistics promulgated by the Hamas-controlled so-called “ministry of health“ are inaccurate or fraudulent.
In one of many examples, the Al-Ahli Hospital bombing, which the media immediately prematurely blamed on Israel, was off by about a factor of five to 10 in the number of casualties. The daily Gaza death toll also strains credulity. Every day that statistic invariably includes the qualifier that the casualties are mostly women and children, which should immediately provoke any thoughtful person to wonder why, if the Israelis are engaging in indiscriminate bombing, (not true, but for the sake of argument) how is it that in a random distribution of destruction, almost all victims would be women and children? Where are the men?
This description is either a false effort to retroactively justify the Oct. 7 torture and massacre of hundreds of Israeli women, children and babies, or all of the men are hiding in Hamas terror tunnels. Knowing Hamas’ penchant for self-serving spin and lies, I suggest to any respectable media who believe that the death toll is significant to refrain from accepting any specific numbers from Hamas as worth publishing — particularly when the unavoidable deaths of Gaza citizens was exactly what Hamas was seeking.
David H. Epstein, M.D., Fort Lauderdale
Heavy weapons are needed
Reading the Sun Sentinel editorial of Dec. 21, I was surprised by the hostile comments against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The loss of of many Palestinian lives is very regrettable, but I blame Hamas. Those murderers don’t care enough about the fate of their own people. They could save Palestinian lives immediately by releasing hostages.
Hamas dominated Palestinian politics for years. Statehood talks have failed repeatedly because the P.L.O., under the influence of Hamas, has never recognized the existence of Israel as an independent state with secure borders. How can two parties negotiate when one party won’t recognize the other’s right to exist?
There will be no peace in in the Middle East as long as Hamas dominates the Palestinians. Hamas must be eliminated, or at least rendered ineffective. Unfortunately, elimination is impossible as these cowardly fighters use civilians as their shield. As a Vietnam War veteran, I believe that a predominantly ground offensive by Israelis would result in large Israeli troop casualties, far exceeding the number of hostages whose lives are in danger. Regrettably, the use of heavy weapons is necessary.
Martin Winkler, Fort Lauderdale
Eradicate Hamas at any cost
I was stunned by the pacifistic tone of the paper’s editorial criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel’s continued operation in Gaza.
The unfortunate friendly fire that killed three fellow hostages can be explained by the IDF’s confusion from reported deception by Hamas to bait Israeli soldiers and ambush them, as when they hide tunnels under hospitals and bombs in children’s toys.
Second, Israel’s assault on Gaza is not “violence”; it is defense for survival. The idea of a NATO peacekeeping force for a Hamas-run Gaza is as preposterous as one for Nazi Germany or Al-Qaeda. “Belligerents” must be eradicated at any cost, even with collateral damage of innocent civilians. President Truman unleashed two atomic bombs on Japan, killing an estimated 214,000 people, to end a war provoked by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Would the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board tolerate continued rocket assaults from Cuba aimed at peaceful South Florida communities as Hamas released on Israel on the last day of the recent humanitarian pause? You also insist on a two-state solution when the Palestinian Authority still hasn’t condemned the rampage of rape and murder Oct. 7.
This crisis isn’t inflaming antisemitism. Latent antisemitism fuels antisemitism. The biblical promise of goodwill and peace on earth will only come from those who embody and truly desire it.
Ariel Appelbaum, Miami Beach