Does the Torah Recognize the Existence of "Innocent Civilians"?

Modern-day nations – Israel chief among them – avoid harming 'innocent civilians.'  But do such people exist?  If they did, why did G-d punish the Egyptians as a collective?  After all, the plagues affected every Egyptian, not just the guilty.  Indeed, the Plague of the Firstborn even affected foreign captives in Egyptian jails according to the Midrash! This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate