The group that wrote the 'rules of civilised warfare' didn't have tanks and jets, the rules were written in the 1870s in Geneva. Those conventions primarily applied to how POWs and injured personnel should be treated and was largely observed between 1877 and 1939. In WWII industrial nations engaged in total war, which ended up in the bombing of civilians. That's why it was strengthened in 1949 - and (for the most part) the Geneva convention has held. but it has been circumvented a number of times and the USA I believe has refused to sign it.

I am not saying in this article 'we are good' or 'they are bad' - anyone who knows anything about the CIA actions across most of the 20th Century does not consider Western Powers to be 'the goodies' - what I am saying is that we are a liberal democracy. I enjoy living in a liberal democracy, because I get to say and write what I want. In a more autocratic regime (either left or right) I would likely find myself in a concentration camp or a gulag. That does not appeal in the slightest - however, I am also noting that the Trojan Horse within liberalism is the liberal part. I'm flagging this, because the answer to social discord is often to move to a more authoritarian form of Government. Do I think the war is worth the price - I do not. I think Hamas need to be removed as a government and replaced with a more moderate arm - similar to Sein Fein and the IRA over here in the UK. This internal change needs to happen and happen fast, because the political situation is destabilising the Middle East - itself on a roadmap to peace (Saudi Arabia + Israel signed a mutual recongition document in September) and I think it's very likely that both China and Russia enjoy fuelling the demos infighting across the Western nations. Autocratic regimes benefit from a disorganised opposition. That's their propaganda. :o)