During the operation, the troops located several tank shells within the Hamas infrastructure that was being used as a school.
According to the IDF, troops on the ground thought they saw suspicious figures near the building and felt they were endangered.
The enforcement of the Geneva Conventions lies in states themselves, and therein lies the weak spot in IHL: The laws seem to protect on paper but are difficult to enforce in practice.
The army said the soldier was returned through the International Committee of the Red Cross and was transferred to a hospital for treatment.
While speaking out without strategic consideration may satisfy public demands, it can ultimately cost lives by jeopardizing access to those in need.
This handover marks the completion of the phase one list of abductees slated for return.
Has the Red Cross abandoned its humanitarian mission? Critics say its silence on Israeli hostages and ties to Hamas raise serious questions.
We become irritated when people fail to act as we expect. It infuriates us to see a representative of the organization sitting next to a masked terrorist, signing “release documents” for civilians.
The ICRC has been widely criticized across Israel for not visiting hostages in Gaza captivity and for partaking in Hamas's propaganda ceremonies.
Despite the heartbreak from the return of the slain hostages, we should not confuse tears for weakness or bowed heads for a nation whose spirit is broken.