This opinion piece by Brig. Gen. Eran Ortal critiques Prof. Yagil Levy’s claim, published in Haaretz, that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza have failed to uphold their self-proclaimed moral standards. Levy’s argument is based on the ratio of IDF soldier casualties to Gazan civilian deaths, which he asserts demonstrates a shift of risk onto civilians. Ortal challenges this metric, arguing it oversimplifies morality in warfare and ignores complexities like Hamas’s use of human shields and Gaza’s dense urban conditions. Brig. Gen. Eran Ortal contrasts Levy’s approach with historical examples (e.g., battles in Mosul and Fallujah) to highlight the IDF’s comparatively low civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio. Ortal’s opinion piece also underscores IDF efforts to minimize civilian harm, such as evacuation procedures, despite the limitations of war. He concludes by accusing Levy’s moral framework of negating Israel’s right to defend itself effectively.

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