A friend of mine from Gaza shared a video of Hamas attacking a defenseless Israeli father in Sderot on October 7, trying to shield his baby daughter from danger, asking if whoever killed that man protecting his child hopes to somehow “enter heaven” afterward. It didn’t take long for the post to go viral and attract the rage and ire of the Jihadi and pro-Hamas voices in the “pro-Palestine” movement, particularly among Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims in Western diaspora communities. These are the same people who will tell you that they are “not pro-Hamas,” but are pro-the Palestinian people, even though every ounce of their existence, activism, rhetoric, and being is about supporting antisemitic violence against Jews, regardless of how innocent they are. For many, they claim to care about Palestinian and Gazan voices until those voices offer uncomfortable and inconvenient perspectives. A disgusting shame! here it is implied attack on Islam because in war Islam does not teach to target innocent civilian nor Islam says that killing non combant is important for going to paradize.

Mainstream Islamic teachings strictly forbid the killing of innocent civilians, children, and non-combatants during a conflict.

Islamic Rules of War

Clear Directives: Traditional Islamic law and the sayings (Hadiths) of Prophet Muhammad set strict boundaries for warfare.
Prohibited Targets: Military leaders explicitly ordered fighters not to harm women, children, the elderly, monks, or unarmed people.
Property Protection: Islamic rules of engagement also forbid destroying homes, cutting down fruit-bearing trees, or killing livestock unnecessarily.

The Question of Faith and Actions

Accountability: Actions that target defenseless civilians contradict core Islamic moral and legal codes.
No Divine Reward for Injustice: Killing non-combatants does not bring religious reward or a path to paradise according to orthodox Islamic theology.
Political vs. Religious Reality: Political groups often use religious language, but their actions must be judged against the actual ethical standards of the faith.

Public and Diaspora Reactions

Divided Voices: The broader global and diaspora communities often experience deep divisions over the interpretation of violence and political allegiance.
Silencing Dissent: Discussions surrounding civilian suffering on either side frequently face fierce online pushback, making nuanced conversations difficult.