From Afghanistan to Gaza — When War Hides Among Civilians
By: Former Member of the Targeting Board, Afghan Ministry of Defense (2017–2021) In every war, the line between “legitimate defense” and “civilian casualties” is far thinner than it appears from the outside. I have seen this reality firsthand — during my years at the Afghan Ministry of Defense, I was responsible for reviewing and approving airstrike operations. Today, when I look at Gaza, I see the same scenario — only on a larger scale and in a far more densely populated geography. I focused only on the technical aspects and the parts I found essential. I chose not to include the legal dimension — partly because legal debates around this issue have already become overly saturated, and partly because I don’t believe the law can offer a truly rational answer in this particular case. This analysis is therefore focused on operational realities rather than legal debates. In Afghanistan, our official policy was clear: no airstrike could target a mosque, school, hospital, or civilian ...