It is difficult to fight an enemy that does not share your values. It is precisely Hamas’ disrespect for human life that has resulted in the death and injury of so many innocent Palestinians in Gaza and has enabled them to dupe the international press thereby gaining sympathy for their cause.

Since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge more than 1,790 rockets have deliberately been launched from Gaza at civilian targets in Israel. Had they succeeded in their objective, they would have resulted in the death and injury of thousands of innocent people.

By contrast, Israeli forces have put their own lives at risk in their untiring efforts to avoid civilian casualties on the Palestinian side. Not only have leaflets been dropped warning of impending attacks but phone calls have been made and SMS messages sent to residents calling upon them to vacate homes in advance of attacks on buildings that have been used for military purposes.

However, in response to those efforts to avoid the loss of life, a Palestinian National and Islamic Forces representative appeared on television calling upon the Palestinian people to remain in their homes.

Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesman for Hamas, said in an interview on Al Aqsa TV: “The policy of people confronting the Israeli warplanes with their bare chests in order to protect their homes has proven effective against the occupation…. We aren’t leading our people today to destruction. We are leading our people to death.”

Meanwhile, as I write these lines, rockets continue to rain down on the houses of the long-suffering residents of Sederot and the IDF has intercepted two groups of terrorists, who had infiltrated Israel via underground tunnels in order to murder people in their homes and take hostages.