War is afoot in the Middle East again, and this one is already ugly and likely to get worse before it gets better – and who is in the middle of it? Children. That gives pause.
Obviously, terrorists have to be taken out, every one of them. In the process, where they are has become a warzone. These warzones – on both sides – include children.
Already, Israeli and Palestinian children, a stunning number, have died and been horribly wounded. Fleeing, fearing loss of life, absent childhood, they are innocent.
It helps to visualize just how out of whack things have become.
A rough consensus on numbers, reported by a range of groups, suggests hundreds of Israeli children were killed by Hamas in Israel on October 7, and 30 more were taken hostage. Now, 2,360 Palestinian children have died in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Observers without political ties, such as UNICEF, report being in a state of shock, even before the land assault takes full form and – presumably – roots out Hamas.
International observers, including UNICEF, reported 5,791 children severely wounded in Gaza as of the 25th. UNICEF describes the carnage of children in highly graphic terms, “staggering” and a “stain on our collective conscience.”
Photographs, now fewer as the Internet is shut off across Gaza, are enough to make a viewer nauseous, children terribly maimed, crying, helpless, terrified, and dead.
How many children must we see in pain before a heart physically hurts? Mine does, and I have no ties to them, nothing other than being a human and a parent.
What is the truth? How will we be measured? Can any of us guess? A good guess might be if you believe in a just and loving God, we will be measured by our courage, integrity, devotion to others, actions – my guess, how we treat children.
Children? Yes, the innocent, our focus on, awareness of, concern for, and actions toward innocents, not combatants, how we strive for our own souls and innocence.
What does Matthew say? “Not a sparrow will fall without His knowing…” If not a sparrow, then how much more does he love – and expect of – us? Matthew 10-29.
As for children, the respect we should have for their little lives and concern for innocents, is that not part of our innocence judgment? The word above pleads for love.
What more did Matthew say? Words of Christ. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.”
And “Whoever causes one of these little ones…to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and drowned in the depth of the sea.” Mathew 18:6.
War, by definition, is hell on earth. I have interviewed too many WWII, Korean, and Vietnam war vets, those who wanted to stop evil, hurt to this today – not to know, as one told me over and over, “war is hell.”
But where do we fit in? How much can we mitigate the hell to help save the children? I do not know, I do not know how in concrete terms to do that, but I know it is a moral imperative, as solid a rock as any Christ set forth.
We should let so many innocents suffer and so many lives end so quickly, not work overtime to stop the carnage? Whether we are American, Israeli, Palestinian, or any other identifier on Earth, we are adults – responsible for what happens.
Some, far removed from these warzones, will say that is just the price of war, the cost of rooting out terrorists, the work of unavoidable evil in a mortal life. I accept that innocents die in war, have been in warzones, studied WWII, and understand.
I also know we have modern means for mitigating that damage, pain, maiming, loss, and unspeakable wounds, as well as death, on the battlefield for children.
I put nothing past the Hamas terrorists. They must be extinguished. I expect more of us: a conscious, determined, heart and faith-based love of children and extra effort to protect and save them. We have not yet seen enough of this, and it hurts the soul.
I feel a deep, welling, irrepressible sadness that this particular war, which will rise, grow more violent, “stain the collective conscious” further before receding, will hurt us in ways we have yet to grasp.
To paraphrase the famous Jewish scholar and man of conscience, Hillel, “If not me, who? If not now, when?” The children cannot be forgotten, or we lose ourselves.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
When presenting information about the plight of children in the Hamas war it must ALWAYS be pointed out that Hamas INITIATED THE WAR WITH DELIBERATE MURDERS, BURNINGS AND BEHEADINGS OF CHILDREN. Israel has NEVER set out to harm children. Israel urged Gazan families to get out of harms way before they retaliated against Hamas. Israel has invested in shelters to protect her own children; Hamas uses its children as human shields. These facts cannot be made clear often enough!
Very sobering RBC.
Evil must be destroyed but sometimes that comes at a horribly high price.
As I’m seeing graphic videos filtering out of the Middle East and the heinous aftermath of the October7th attack, the level of depravity and hatred from Hamas is appalling that would make even Josef Mengele blush.
What hit me as I read and re-read your article, The abortion crisis also comes to mind.
The level of destruction and the way it is performed is no less heinous but somehow it is more “sanitized”
If our hearts break, what must the Creator feel?
There is no easy answer and, like yourself, my heart aches for the innocents caught in the crossfire. One day, God willing, the nations will be at peace.
If there is any inkling of what heII is like, it’s definitely during war.
Excellent and very sobering article. Yes, all members of Hamas, ISIS, Hezbollah, and all others who subscribe to their sadistic and evil ways, should be totally eliminated from the face of the earth, starting, of course, with the Hamas who inflicted such unimaginable pain and suffering on the innocent people in Israel.
When this war started my thoughts were to the Bible. But also what we have seen Russia do to the innocent in Ukraine. They don’t go after the soldiers but the young and old. The same with Hamas. Doesn’t matter if they are Israeli or Palestinian children -they are the target cause they get more press. As one poster mentioned: where is the outcry for the 60 million plus babies murdered in this country and millions more around the world via abortion?
Those children are harmed by war which is the expected outcome Our children are harmed by going to school where does UNICEF stand on that one To think we keep them in comfort along with the rest of that monstrosity called UN
Praise for your writing this important article Robert. The more people there are giving thought to ways to help and protect the children in need of help and protection the better . Respect for life, the foundation of what inspires people to do what is right , articles like this will contribute much to building that sort of foundation ,with respect for life. Hope, Courage, let the will of God guide us in the right direction in order to defend the children. In the spirit of the ideals of Faith, Family and Freedom .
These children will never be forgotten in my world! I lie awake at night because my mind cannot let go of all the images that are being shown throughout each and every day. As someone who has devoted her entire life to educating, guiding and loving children, it’s just totally inconceivable how people like the Hamas, Hezbollah, Putin, etc., can continue to use the eradication of children to get to the real sources of their hate. So, what can I and all of us do? I can’t afford to fly to Israel or Egypt to make my way to “the those unfortunate children”, but I can and will help the children in my world. Many of my students are terrified by what they are seeing, hearing, and processing. So, my job, is to help them process and deal with this incredibly scary time in their young lives. My Jewish children are terrified to wear their Israeli crosses, or allow strangers to know that they are of the Jewish faith. My children of other faiths, are struggling to understand how all of this could have happened in this technologically advanced world that we live in, without any hint of what was to happen on October 7th. They ask me if I think that America is next? Will there be a WWIII? Tough questions to answer without inserting more fear into their hearts. So, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, be sensitive and in tuned with what the children in your world are thinking. Help them find their way during these difficult and terrifying times. And let’s not forget the children in Gaza and Israel. We can help through prayers and hopes for a solution that will end this horrific war. Let there be peace and hope. Thank you, Bobby!
I usually agree with Robert Charles’ articles, but I don’t understand how he can state that UNICEF is without political ties when they are facilitating the massive illegal immigration across our southern border. UNICEF, the UN and WHO are anti-American organizations and we should discontinue their funding.
Throughout history it has been poor people (us peasants) and their children who suffered most from war. No matter how many treaties and agreements are signed, there are always those who will ignore them. There is no such thing as “fair” in war, it is to win or lose. I, too, wish for Hamas to be destroyed. But the damage will be catastrophic and more will rise up to take their place. I grieve for these children, but some will be raised to be terrorists. When I hear “never again” I know it is not possible as long as there is evil in the world. RIP to all those who died needlessly.
And “Whoever causes one of these little ones…to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and drowned in the depth of the sea.” Mathew 18:6
When the children are USED by the government, parents, and other citizens of the country to KILL and when families are PAID for the “sacrifice” of their children used to KILL, it makes it harder to know how to respond. When our own government PAYS for the privilege of having children USED this way, it is difficult to claim we are “saving the children”.
WHICH ones? Those of the families defending themselves from total annihilation for thousands of years? Those of the annihilators? OR those from the families that are being forced to fund the killing?
Their fathers started it, they could also end it! The tears implored to be shed for Afghanistan’s, Iraq’s, Yemen’s, and Gaza’s children are the same ones shed for them decades ago… only niw they’ve grown up & become the same terrorist animals their fathers were! I’ll cry for children, all right, Children of Israel who didn’t ask for Hamas to shoot and/or rape their mothers before they themselves were shot, bludgeoned, and beheaded!
It’s honestly hard to know how many of the denizens of Jew free Gaza have died due to Pallywood. They are very good at Pallywood. Add to that it’s HAMASS that is not letting the people go south to Khan Yunis, where the beaches and stores are still open and bustling. It’s what Hamass does, and has been doing for years. Store rockets and ammunition and weapons under schools and churches. When the IDF warns they are going to destroy a building Hamass refuses to let the people get out. A) they want the body count B) they think it will deter the IDF from bombing the building. Either way, it’s a win. All that concrete for schools, hospitals infrastructure. That’s how there are so many terror tunnels. Pressure to allow “humanitarian aid” into Gaza? Awesome, there goes the leverage for getting hostages back. Many people in the west don’t understand the middle east mindset. Humanitarian is perceived as weak. They understand strength, that’s it.
It always amazes me that people who live in war zones choose to bring children into their potential dangerous world. And then to act surprised when danger explodes and their children face death. Imbeciles all!
I have been listening to a series by Dr. David Jeremiah on the Rapture (where believers in Christ disappear from earth to go to join Jesus in Heaven). He teaches that children – no matter their nationality or training, and including those aborted by their mothers – will be taken to Heaven at that same time. They will be there to greet their believing parents and loved ones when they, too, arrive. That is a hope that can assuage our grief over the loss of so many children in conflicts like this one or for those suffering in the midst of the despicable process of child trafficking. Please pray for all children in these devastating situations.
I pray for children every night…and hate to see the carnage taking place in the Middle East. But are all the children innocent? I’ve seen television reports about what is being taught to Palestinian children in school – to hate the Jews and the West, Death to all non-Muslims…and I remember news reports of children in Iraq, Palestine wearing suicide bombs blowing up other innocent people and our soldiers. And yes, those that teach those ideals should be thrown to the lowest depths of Hell. But the children learn and hear this from the time they can understand things…and grow up as part of the hate. That must be changed somehow.
How can you stop the toll when HAMAS deliberately puts them in harms’ way? Surely Israel is just in pursuing HAMAS that directly targets and kills Israel’s children. The only way around Israeli assault to end the threat would be to end HAMAS support. Who is lining up to do that?
Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria were christian places less then 40 years ago. Palestine use to be called Christian Palestine. the Muslims murdered all the Christians.
the Muslims have been continuously attacking and murdering people for 1600 years. since the very start of their fake religion. it was never a religion. It was always a land grab. If you think the american treatment of the Indians was bad then you should really hate the Muslims. Muslims do not create christian or jewish reservations they just murder everyone.
Even the crusades, which you love to point to as christian aggression, were actually done to protect people from the Muslim attacks.
The inquisitions started as a means to root out the Muslims who had invaded Spain, Portugal, and western France.
the Muslims have been attacking people all over the world 400 bc. their attacks on Israel today are no different and simply a continuation of their 1600 year murder spree.
even the “slaves” in china started out as Muslims invaders. china just deals with the issue more harshly.
Israel would be doing the world a favor if they wiped out 100% of all Muslims.
benghazi was caused by republicans who desessed up as muslims, what a despicable thing the republicans did for votes
yet you treat immigrants as subhuman including children, robert charles sucks
Quit pushing your opinionated propaganda and telling us who should be extinguished and know everyone is using children to win a war. (so sick). Let me cry now, as they aren’t because they keep on killing. If anyone cared about the children, there wouldn’t be any wars. Since Hamas is funded by Israel, etc., you look at who is to blame for killing all these innocent people. So, it’s just okay to bomb everyone. They both need to stop this American instilled war and act like adults instead of insane war mongers for power and land. Then, maybe the children can have parents to take care of them. This is like the putrid Vietnam war. If you notice, Israel and America are trying to get Iran involved so more countries get into the so called WW3 they want. So, more children and innocent people will be killed and the higher ups will sit on their mounds of money and watch. Do they care about human life? No. We have been genocided for years and it goes on and on. Think about what this whole Reset is about. Why don’t you write about that and try to tell the truth, if that’s even possible. Look at the past; same as today. Do we ever learn? No. We are controlled and the movie is still the same repeat; same players.
I don’t agree with either side because they are both wrong. Two wrongs do not make things right. People are being vilified because they are either Jewish or Palestinian. Hatred is out of control on both sides. We must stop all this warring and come to terms with peace for all!