Bloody Sunday: Hezbollah Causes Deaths of 60 women and Children Using Residence as Human Shield

"Why are they killing us? What have we done?" asked Khalil Shalhoub as he witnessed his brother's remains being removed from the building in Qana, Lebanon after Israeli aircraft bombed the building suspected to be shielding rocket launchers directed at Israel. 120 such rockets were fired at Israel today.

Fox News reports that at least 56 were killed in the attack, mostly women and children.

It's a sad and tragic event which should never have happened. And it's one that is likely to fit into the plans of those who wish to condemn Israel and push for a ceasefire that preserves Hezbollah's military capacity. The same military capability which violates every previous agreement intended to bring peace to the troubled region.

Ever since the crisis began, Mike's America has pointed out how Hezbollah has used the civilian population and U.N. peacekeepers as human shields. They deliberately choose to attack from these positions and then are first to raise the cry of "massacre" or "war crime" when unintended deaths occur. We've reported the statement from U.N. Humanitarian Chief Egeland who denounced Hezbollah for "this cowardly blending ... among women and children...I heard they were proud because they lost very few fighters and that it was the civilians bearing the brunt of this. I don't think anyone should be proud of having many more children and women dead than armed men."

Video Evidence Of Hezbollah Rockets Shielded by Civilian Residences

If you haven't seen the video from the Israeli Defense Forces showing the launching of rockets directly behind a large building in the area near Qana, it is here. It's an older video and apparently not the building which was struck today, but a nearby site which does illustrate how Hezbollah launches rockets from behind a large building to avoid detection.

The chart at right illustrates the course of rockets fired from Qana. The Israeli Defense Forces also has a further video showing how Hezbollah hides rockets in civilian targets.

More Questions: No Fighters Killed in Qana?
Reporters at the site of this tragedy report that it took many hours for them to reach the scene. They were not given any opportunity to investigate, photograph or videotape obvious military targets or dead Hezbollah fighters.

Prior to the strike in Qana, Israel took steps to warn the civilian population that strikes in this area were likely and warned them to leave. This is the same precaution they followed prior to their incursions into both Southern Lebanon and Gaza. These efforts include dropping of leaflets, phone calls to residences in affected areas and loudspeakers in some cases. Vital Perspective posted a copy of one of the leaflets warning that Israeli strikes were imminent.

From reports at the scene, survivors of the Qana attack complained that they were unable to leave, that the roads were "blocked." Yet reporters had no trouble getting to and from the scene.

More Questions

Unfortunately, the resources of the Israeli Defense Forces are more focused on fighting and winning on the ground in Lebanon and Gaza. But the propaganda war is being lost as the world sees images of dead children and only later considers the cause.

As we wait for more information, one thing is clear: this tragedy would not have occurred if Hezbollah has been disarmed. Furthermore, this tragedy would not have happened if Iran and Syria had not provided Hezbollah with the weapons, training and funding to attack Israel. Finally, none of this would be happening if the world demanded the same level of accountability and respect for innocent civilians from Hezbollah that they require of Israel.

Answering Khalil Shalhoub's question: "Why are they killing us? What have we done?" I would say: You have allowed Hezbollah to rearm and attack Israel. If you valued peace more than war, you would not have done so.

And Khalil: Mike's America readers may recall another "Bloody Sunday" 23 years ago when Hezbollah killed 241 U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as peacekeepers. Isn't it past time you held Hezbollah accountable for the "cycle of violence?" Blaming everyone else for your problem hasn't worked too well has it?

Update: The research department at Flopping Aces has found a number of other links to the videos mentioned above and more. A number of these are provided by Vital Perspective, a collection of which can be found at You Tube.

Vital Perspective also reminds us that the deliberate placement of weaponry in a civilian area is a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Will we now hear all the bleeding heart lefties who moan about our benevolent treatment of homocidal terrorists at Guantanamo now take up the call about war crimes by Hezbollah? Don't hold your breath!

And just for the record, Flopping Aces linked to this video at the end of which you can clearly see ambulances with UN markings being used to transport Hamas terrorists in Gaza away from the fighting.

And some people say that Israel is committing war crimes?