I don't know how we are all so surprised by civilian deaths... In any conflict, civilians die, but naturally! They are helpless, shelterless and most vulnerable.
Even when we operate with utmost care in CI ops, civilians die! (In one particular op, a small girl almost lost her life when she was caught in the crossfire with two terrorists in the jungles of Shalnar in Anantnag. Despite best practices that we followed in the bn, I thought she was gone. But during the search for bodies, we found her safe in the corn field adjoining her home and I just took her in my arms and hugged her till eternity!)
Besides there's collateral damage to property which is unavoidable because they get into civilian houses and govt property. So civilians dying is as much collateral damage as damage to any property.
In conventional wars the damage and death increases manifolds. In WW 2 the total civilian deaths could easily cross 20-25 lakhs, if not more. Germany and Japanese alone would have lost 20 lakhs if not more, in my opinion. Where was the human rights then? So why the bleeding hearts now? When civilians remain mute spectators and do not stand up to stupid regimes, even if their own race and religion, death is surely to follow! The Gazans and Palestinians have supported Hamas, willingly or tacitly just like the Germans supported Hitler during his reign. A few good souls here or there is immaterial! They'll all face the wrath of the War! While the terrorists and non state actors do it openly, the states and it's military and covert organs may do it either unwittingly or deliberately and then deny it.
War is ugly! War is however necessary! There's nothing to repent!
There's no white, no black, there's just grey!
KGK