By Beatrice Asamani Savage, GNA Special Correspondent, Israel
Sderot, (Israel) Dec. 27, GNA – As the human cost of the ongoing conflict in Israel-Gaza continues to mount, Major David Baruch, Spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), has expressed sympathy for the civilian casualties and concern over the enduring impact of war.
The 14-month conflict, following the October 7 Hamas attack on some communities along the Southern Israel -Gaza border, has left a trail of trauma and devastation on both sides of the border, with civilians bearing the brunt of hostilities and grappling with loss, displacement, and psychological scars.
Answering questions at the vantage point of Givat Koby, Sredot, on how he felt about the toll of the war, especially on the Gaza side, Major Baruch stated: “I have no doubt whatsoever that non-combatants in Gaza are living in an incredibly difficult situation.”
The IDF spokesperson in charge of foreign media, was interacting with 11 visiting African journalists on events of the October 7 attack and related military and humanitarian matters.
“I wouldn’t want to be a citizen of Gaza living under Hamas even before this all began and most certainly, I wouldn’t want to be there in a war situation. It can’t be nice at all,” he stated.
“I feel for that. There are innocent individuals, as in any war, who have been affected and killed. And that’s terrible. And I’m not just saying that. As a father, as a husband, I wouldn’t want that to happen to me or to anyone. And I think it’s very unfortunate.”
Maj. Baruch recounted how he drove his civilian son and neighbour to fight for the Jewish State in the aftermath of the attacks, explaining that he was also a reservist recalled to national service.
“So, yes, it’s terrible. And I say that with all sincerity. Any one innocent individual killed is a tragedy. Yet, there is no yet – It’s a tragedy,” he emphasised.
“It’s terrible. War is terrible. So, yet, there are people, there are children who are suffering that.
“There are children and adults who have suffered on both sides of this border. It would be better if this didn’t happen in the first place.”
Reacting to the common accusation that Israel was using disproportionate force against its attackers, Maj. Baruch declared: “We need to understand the context that this began with. Hamas brought this on these people. They didn’t attack on the 7th of October and expect us not to react. What they did is they knew damn well we were going to react.
“That doesn’t mean that we need to go after individuals. And we’ve made every effort possible not to go after civilians. We’ve asked them to move. We tell the citizens of Gaza where we’re going to act. No other military does that. We tell them where. There’s no surprises. Please leave. Please move away.”
He, however, accused Hamas of hiding in their underground tunnel structures and leaving Gazans to stay on top of those tunnels at the peril of their lives.
“They use them as shields even to this day. So, yes, it’s terrible. And I say that with all sincerity!”
Maj. Baruch described the tragic events of October 7, when more than 3,000 projectiles were launched into Israeli communities, leading to 1,200 deaths in a single day—the largest loss of Jewish lives in one day since the Holocaust. Some 100 of the more that 251 people abducted by Hamas remain in captivity.
The IDF, according to Major Baruch, had adopted measures to mitigate civilian casualties, including advance warnings and safe-zone designations. “We’ve made every effort possible not to target civilians,” he stated.
Responding to a question on the Military’s initial slow response to the attack, Maj. Baruch admitted initial operational lapses, but underscored the IDF’s resolve to address those challenges and prevent similar failures in the future.
He outlined the Army’s ongoing mission, saying the Military’s primary goals included securing the return of hostages, dismantling Hamas’ operational infrastructure, and ensuring the Group’s incapacity to govern or launch attacks from Gaza.
“We are committed to eliminating the leadership responsible for these atrocities and preventing a recurrence of such a catastrophic event,” he said.
“The IDF remains focused on achieving its objectives to ensure national security and stability in the region.”
According to the British Red Cross, more than 43,000 have died in Gaza and more than 100,000 injured.
The health care system is on the edge of collapse, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed.
Displaced families face famine and basic amenities.
GNA