All the wrangling about who started and who answered is often beside the point. The real issue is that the Palestinians are systematically and savagely brutalized by asymmetric Israeli military and economic power while their national aspirations are frustrated. Given this punishment and given the chauvinistic, colonial-like policies of Israel, periodic violent responses to provocation like the ones we are witnessing are sadly, all by inevitable. I do not support the rocketing of civilians by either side. But there is no equivalence here. Israel is the aggressor, blockading and demonizing Gaza and its inhabitants and using provocation as a political tool. In my opinion, solidarity with the people of Palestine is the only appropriate response for peace-loving people.

Watching mainstream evening news in US - a map of Israel and Gaza briefly shown; look at sheer geoaphrical size occupied by Israel and see the tiny amount of land in Gaza. Even those completely uninformed would surely have to wonder how Gaza residents (prisoners ) could inflict any real damage on a state the size of Israel. How did Israel become the David to Gaza Goliath? We in US have lost our ability to reason as well as our compassion for the underdog and willingly give our brains up to whatever the TV here tells us, no questions asked. This is very scary and sad to me; we are devolving as a species. - am a woman and think this argument about gender in the media is not one to take up at this time. Time to join together not allow ourselves to be divided and conquered.

I'm so glad that the majority of people could find a way to enter a petty argument, assume severe personal insult, and overall act like kids who care more about being heard than anything else. And you wonder why nations are "needlessly fighting"?

This seems the obvious question to me. And the one that is difficult for Israel to consider as all they focus on is Hamas's belief that Israel doesn't have a right to exist when in fact in recent years Hamas has shown it is willing to compromise; (taken from Wikipedia)

'Israel has rejected some truce offers by Hamas because it contends the group uses them to prepare for more fighting rather than peace.[63] The Atlantic magazine columnist Jeffrey Goldberg, along with other analysts, believes Hamas may be incapable of permanent reconciliation with Israel.[64][65] Mkhaimer Abusada, a political scientist at Al Azhar University, writes that Hamas talks "of hudna [temporary ceasefire], not of peace or reconciliation with Israel. They believe over time they will be strong enough to liberate all historic Palestine."[66] Such negative analysis ignores, however, the precedent that when Hamas' parent organisation, the Muslim Brotherhood, came to power in neighbouring Egypt, they upheld their country's peace treaty with Israel.[67][68] Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu declared he had no problem dealing with the Muslim Brotherhood so long as the peace treaty was respected.[69]'

Unfortunately I think the far right views from both countries will always get in the way of peace.

I may have slightly different views but I come in peace, I assure you.
I came across this page and wanted to point out a few facts on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that you may be missing. I noticed that you emphasized the death of women and children. If the Palestinian side is so intent on protecting their people, why must they use women and children as human shields? Countless pictures validate this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9...@N00/177861618/lightbox/
There are many more but unfortunately, there's a character limit (google if you're interested)

The State of Israel, on the other hand, makes great efforts to avoid harming innocent people in Gaza. It is a very difficult task, in part because the Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated areas in the world; and also because almost all rocket launches are carried out in or in close proximity to major population centers, such as schools, hospitals, mosques. No other army calls residential houses and warns them that they are being given 5 minutes to evacuate their homes before military action is taken. In turn, Palestinians respond by gathering women and children to sit on the roofs.

The fact is that 12,000 rockets were launched at civilian towns from the Gaza Strip a few years ago, 1000 this year, and over 200 in the last week alone. The media and biased sites such as this fail to mention these facts. After years of violence, don't you think Israel has a right to defend itself?

Just a side note that people are often unaware of: The blockade of Gaza is not the way people likely imagine the situation. Every day Israel provides medical assistance, and brings tens of thousands of tons of food and other goods into the Gaza Strip, even during combat! Israel mainly prevents the entry of ships or aircraft into the Gaza Strip, due to the fact that Hamas is trying to smuggle weapons and money to the area.

“I am a Palestinian. Hath not a Palestinian eyes? Hath not a Palestinian hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a Jew is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that”. Originally this quote was ‘Shylock’ the hero of The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare. He quoted this against the massacre of Jews by European Power(Christian Power). But this time what is going on! The Israeli Jews doing more than ferocious heated work & crime against Palestinian. Thousands of infant and ordinary people died by bombing of Israeli Jet Fighter. Palestinian ‘Hamas’ give answer just thronging “Katiusha Rocket” which is just like an Infant’s Toy. Israeli soldier using Biological Weapon every time against Palestinian. So that, now Palestinian infants are born handicap (Physically Disabled).
Day by day Israeli intelligence ‘Mosad’ and ‘Seanbeth’ killing serially Palestinian leaders. Just few days ago Israel killed Hamas senior leader Ahmed Al Jabir by Air Missile Attack. Unfortunately this leader tried to establishing permanent peace between Israel and Palestine. He is the man who freed of Israeli soldier ‘Gilat Salit’ from under custody of Palestinian and finally tried to ‘everlasting ceasefire’ between Israel and Palestine. It is quoted from western media that, before death of Al-Jabir- he was busy about the proposal of Israel regarding permanent peace and he stopped all rocket attack in Israel also doing conversation with Israeli counterpart to established final peace between two nations. After killing of Ahmed Al-Jabir- it proved that, the proposal of Israel for conversation to establish peace was just a “Drama of Israel”.Israel does not want peaceful coe

As calm returned to the skies, jubilant Gazans flooded into the streets to celebrate.