Israel is coming under mounting criticism for its actions in Gaza where more than 11,000 people have been killed, according to Palestinian officials, the vast majority of them civilians. This follows Hamas' attack on Israel last month that killed around 1,200 people.
Targeting civilians is a war crime. But what if there are civilians in or near a legitimate military target? This is where something in the laws of war called "proportionality" comes into play. As in, the military advantage must be proportionate to the loss of civilian life.
