How to defend the indefensible
The IDF has crossed several lines that should have been moral event horizons. Hind Rajab. World Central Kitchen volunteers. Firebombing refugee camps. Fabricating evidence of Hamas presence - outright and obviously lying about Arabic calendars, for example. And, if one only cares about Israeli lives, shooting Israeli hostages waving white flags. I know someone who supported the continued blanket, untargeted destruction of Gaza while lamenting that the remaining hostages there were being killed.
How does the other side see these events and still keep their support for the army? Do they simply not know about these events, or not care about them? Do they deny that they happened? Or are they really disgusted with these happenings, but can't bring themselves to turn against family and friends who are directly involved, and therefore to make excuses?
Many are openly happy about killing Arab children, but many still claim to be liberals who want peace. What mental contortions do they do? Clearly they have some way of rationalising them, but I can't see how, even if they have zero care for Arab life. And these are often smart people.