Zionist and Al-Qa`idah Propaganda

"The Israeli Air Force on Saturday launched a massive attack on Hamas targets throughout Gaza in retaliation for the recent heavy rocket fire from the area, hitting mostly security headquarters, training compounds and weapons storage facilities, the Israeli military and witnesses said." I knew that it would be mere hours or minutes before the New York Times come out in headline (on its front internet page) and in the article to justify Israeli killing of civilians. They don't realize that they use the same language that Al-Qa`idah uses in its attacks on civilians. But I have always argued that Al-Qa`idah and Zionisim are quite similar: in tactics and discourse. Has there ever been a Zionist killing of civilians that NYT did not judge to be "in retaliation"? And what if Palestinians justify any act of violence on their part against Israel as being in retaliation for the original massive act of terrorism, i.e., the very creation of Israel?