https://www.newsweek.com/memo-experts-stop-comparing-israels-war-gaza-anything-it-has-no-precedent-opinion-1868891

Yet while the use of historical analogy may be tempting for armchair pundits, in the case of Israel's current war,
the comparisons are often poorly cited, the data used inaccurate, and crucial context left out. Given the scale and
context of an enemy purposely entrenched in densely populated urban areas, as well as the presence of tunnels,
hostages, rockets, attackers that follow the laws of war while defenders purposely do not, and proximity between the
frontlines and the home front, there is basically no historical comparison for this war.

[...]

Hamas' strategy is to use Palestinian civilians as human shields, because their goal is not to defeat Israel's
military or to hold terrain; it is far more sinister and medieval -- to use the death and suffering of Palestinian
civilians to rally international support to their cause and demand that Israel halt their war.

John Spencer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point, codirector of MWI's
Urban Warfare Project and host of the "Urban Warfare Project Podcast." He served for 25 years as an infantry
soldier, which included two combat tours in Iraq. He is the author of the book Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership,
and Social Connection in Modern War and co-author of Understanding Urban Warfare.