Military Expert Defends Israel’s Conduct in Its War Against Hamas

He also challenged the narrative around the death toll in Gaza, saying Hamas is obviously unqualified to give accurate statistics.

By World Israel News

An urban warfare expert and U.S. army veteran called the International Criminal Court‘s decision to investigate Israeli leaders for war crimes “wrong,” and stressed that the IDF has “gone above and beyond what is traditionally required of armies” in order to prevent civilian casualties.

John Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the War Institute, warned that the ICC probe into Israel is not just unfounded, but may strengthen terror groups.

A ruling against Israel may make self-defense off limits to countries that adhere to international legal norms, “while providing a bonanza for rogue states like Russia or nonstate actors like Hamas that ignore these norms,” he wrote in an article published on his X account.

“The ICC has accused Israel of ‘starvation of civilians as a method of warfare,’ and ‘intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population.’ This kind of accusation ignores mountains of evidence to the contrary which I saw firsthand,” he continued.

Spencer said that after visiting Gaza, it was clear to him “that Israel has taken the necessary steps to avoid civilian casualties, even as it has come under unwavering criticism for its handling of the war.”

The warfare analyst noted that Israel had provided plenty of advance warning to civilians to evacuate cities where intense fighting against the terror group was meant to begin, including calling and messaging residents, as well as dropping flyers and leaflets telling them to leave.

He challenged the narrative around the death toll in Gaza, noting that the Hamas statistics – which the UN quietly acknowledged are exaggerated – cannot be used to determine the number of civilians killed in the conflict.

“The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry estimate of over 36,000 civilian deaths does not acknowledge a single Hamas fighter death,” Spencer wrote.

It also does not distinguish if a civilian died due to the misfiring – estimated between 10% to 20% — of the more than 13,000 rockets fired by Hamas or other terrorists that have landed inside Gaza.

Nor does the figure account for the killing of civilians by Hamas or any deaths by natural causes. Literally this figure just counts every death in Gaza since October 7th.”

Spencer ended the article by emphasizing that the ICC charging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was a total misinterpretation of rules of warfare and human rights.

“The IDF should be commended for its efforts to reduce civilian harm, not charged in an international court alongside Hamas leaders – particularly when compared to measures Hamas has taken to increase civilian suffering in Gaza,” he concluded.