Offensive defence?

The four terrorists thought that they were safe. They had successfully hijacked a flight from Tel AvivA major city in Israel, founded in 1909. to Paris; now they had landed at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. With 106 passengers and air crew as hostages, and 100 Ugandan soldiers to protect them, they were sure that Israel would bow to their demands.

But they were wrong. In a daring operation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) flew 100 commandosA soldier trained to carry out raids. 2,500 miles to attack the airport. In the course of 90 minutes they killed all the hijackers and 45 soldiers; 102 of the hostages were rescued unharmed.

The Entebbe raid in 1976 confirmed the IDF as a brilliant, ruthless organisation. As it prepares to hit back at HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK., "What the world should expect now is a coldly furious, enormously violent military action," writes Eliot A Cohen in The Atlantic.

The IDF was created in 1948. Its first recruits were drawn from three militiasA militia is an informal armed group operating independently of the state. In Syria and Iraq, various militias are funded by both the USA and Iran. In recent years, Iraqis have become increasingly frustrated with the power of these militias., two of which were guilty of terrorism. Critics say that their culture of brutality lingers in the IDF, though Israel's former prime minister Yair Lapid has described it as a "strong, disciplined military... that operates only by the law".

All Israeli citizens, apart from Arabs, have to do national serviceNon-optional military service during peacetime. from the age of 18. The IDF is the only army in the world which conscriptsSomeone who is called up to join the army without a choice. women. Some 300,000 reservists have been called up in the wake of the Hamas attacks.¹

Eliot A Cohen argues that the IDF has "a history of failure followed by exceptionally rapid recovery" - so Hamas should watch out.  

Cohen says one advantage is Israel's small size: its soldiers are "fighting quite literally to protect homes and family".

But it has a weakness: arrogance. And in Hamas it has an equally ruthless enemy which has learned from the IDF. "As the saying goes, play chess against a chess master, and you get better at chess."

Is all killing wrong?

Yes: Life is a gift we have all been given and nobody has the right to take it from a fellow creature. For Israel to retaliate against Hamas with lethal force will only make the situation worse.

No: Sometimes we have to do all we can to protect ourselves and those who depend on us, and sadly that can mean killing people. The IDF would argue that killing Hamas fighters is the only way to prevent Hamas fighters killing them.

Or... Killing a terrorist or convicted murderer is not morally wrong, but it is spiritually damaging to the individuals and society involved, which is one reason the death penalty is a mistake.