Air strikes: That'll teach 'em

Commenting on the recent Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, in response to rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Sderot, which resulted in the death of a student:

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said "terrorists" in the coastal territory would pay a very heavy price for the attacks. [BBC News 28.2.08]

And so, in the past two days, the territory has seen a rain of bombs, resulting in a total body count of 21, including at least 4 children and one six-month old baby. Are these children terrorists? Is employing the same tactics as a terrorist organisation (i.e.- the arbitrary bombing of densely populated areas, of which the Strip is the most in the world) a proper manner of conduct for a modern democratic state? One realises the reality that terrorist attacks cannot go without response, but clearly the bombing of innocent children and the taking of lives of dozens of people is not the way to go about stopping the attacks. Is this policy of air strikes actually meant to stop the missile strikes made by terrorist groups in the Strip, or is it motivated by vengeance? One cannot see the logic in the government of Israel fuelling an already angry people by employing the very same techniques that they deplore. Terrorism will never leave the land of Canaan if this sort of tit-for-tat strategy is employed, each side will constantly feel the need for revenge.