THE PROPORTIONALITY DEBATE: As Israel urges around one million Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City and the northern part of Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground assault in the next day or so, journalists and human rights groups are questioning the proportionality of Israel’s response to the horrific Hamas terrorist attack described as the worst since the Holocaust.

“I also expect that, of course, when we see Israeli responses, it will be proportionate, and it is important as this conflict continues to do whatever is possible to prevent the loss of innocent civilian lives,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during this week’s meeting of allied defense ministers in Brussels.