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The fog of war? Or are some Israeli troops so enraged by what has happened to their nation that given the opportunity they are taking matters into their own hands? One thing is certain, the need to fire flares at night to illuminate targets shows they do not have the level of sophistication the American military has with its smart bombs. Americans don't need to light up the sky, both the soldiers (including pilots) and their weapons can see in the dark. Collateral damage like this shows the Israelis need a technological upgrade to their capabilities. But then even America's military causes inadvertent collateral damage.

When will Hamas give up its rocket attacks and end the fighting? That I think is the only way it is going to end.

Yes, William, there are quite a few Israeli 'mistakes'. Here is a sample:

1. Killing a total of 1000 people so far
2. Wounding 5000 so far
3. Killing 300 children
4. killing 300 women
5. Bombing a hospital and 3 clinics
6. Bombing 3 schools
7. Bombing 13 mosques
8. Bombing hundreds of houses.
9. Killing 21 medics.
10. Attacking medical facilities, including the killing of 12 ambulance men in marked vehicles
11. Using powerful shells in civilian areas which the army knows will cause large numbers of innocent casualties
12. Using banned weapons such as phosphorus bombs
13. Holding Palestinian families as human shields
14. Killing large numbers of police who had no military role
15. Strengthening Hamas by its actions

brianmcclinton, you sound like an advertisement for Hamas with whom I'm sure you're sympathetic. You did get a few of them wrong though. The Red Cross has admitted that white phosphorous to create smoke screens for troops is legal. It's Hamas who holds the Palestinian civilians as human shields. That's a typical Arab tactic. Remember how Saddam Hussein did it in Iraq in 1991. "Have you had your milk today Stuart?" The Mosques were used to store weapons.

Well we don't know how many of those 1000 dead or 5000 wounded are Hamas terrorists but it's probably the majority of them. Not bad though for 18 days of fighting in the most densely populated place on earth. Relatively few civilian casualties considering. I chalk it up to Israeli restraint. Can you imagine how many more would be dead and wounded if there wasn't restraint on their part?

The rocket attacks will end, the so called "armed resistance" a code phrase for terrorism will end, one way or another. Since Hamas hasn't agreed to Israel's demands yet, the Palestinians clearly haven't suffered enough. In time they will. All in good time.

absolutely disgusting.

luckily, you freely admit to being an amoral, unloved and unloving empty shell of a man, so it's to be expected

Tell you what Bernards_Insight, why don't you.....pray for me. Maybe you can save my soul.

What most amazes me is that anyone is remotely astonished by this action. War is always utterly immoral, barbarous and vile. I would like to believe Marcus that it was inferior weaponry which led to this particular incident but I would have my doubts - apologies are easy and cheap.

I cannot conceive, however, how anyone could think there is a good way to wage war, a nice way of killing and destruction. Any person who takes up arms enlists in Satan's army and compacts thereby with evil.

Portwyne, this war did seem inevitable and if it is not concluded with real peace so is the next one. And there are wars between Israel and Lebanon, Syria, and Iran on the horizon. Much larger ones which will be infinitely more brutal.

War is a terrible thing which is why it is to be avoided if at all possible. But the Palestinians voted for a government comprised of terrorists which what the US and EU call Hamas whose singleminded purpose was to destroy Israel by war. Now that war has come and the Palestinians are losing it. They brought it upon themselves but they are not yet inclined to sue for peace on terms acceptable to the Israelis.