An IDF graphic showing the targeted terrorists who were killed

Media Misleads On IDF Strike: Hamas Commanders Targeted, Not Civilians

Details
The Judean Staff
Explainer

American media outlets have been portraying an airstrike by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which targeted and killed close to 20 high-ranking Hamas and Islamic Jihad commanders, as a callous assault on a school-turned-shelter. Reports claim the attack killed at least 100 people and injured dozens more on Saturday morning. These assertions, made moments after the strike, lack depth and context, relying on information from Gaza's civil defense—essentially Hamas.

Despite the IDF's clear evidence that the site was a military target, these reports label the strike as "one of the deadliest attacks in the 10-month war," ignoring substantial proof provided by the IDF.

The Target: A Hamas Command Center

The IDF's operation struck the Tabeen school in Gaza City, including the mosque inside it, which militants used for shelter and coordinating attacks on Israeli forces. Hamas, notorious for using civilians as human shields, had civilians in the area. According to Gaza sources, the strike occurred during dawn prayers. Video footage shared on pro-Palestinian Telegram channels shows significant damage to parts of the school. Gaza's Information Ministry, controlled by Hamas, claimed the IDF did not issue an evacuation warning—a point widely reported without verification.

The White House's Premature Condemnation

The most startling reaction came from the Biden-Harris administration. The White House expressed "deep concern" over civilian casualties, urging Israel to minimize harm—an apparent acceptance of Hamas's narrative without scrutiny.

IDF's Evidence and Media Omission

In response, the IDF released several statements disputing the exaggerated death toll and the scale of the strike's impact. They provided overhead videos and other evidence, including names, images, and the terror roles of 19 men killed. However, major outlets like NBC News and CNN largely ignored these details in their coverage.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, criticized the death toll reported by various media, highlighting that it did not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants and conflicted with IDF-held information. The death toll cited by media outlets came from Gaza's Civil Defense, run by Hamas. Historically, information from Gaza's Civil Defense, Health Ministry, Information Ministry, and Communications office has been unreliable, yet U.S. media persist in using them as sources.

IDF's Mitigation Measures

The IDF emphasized that the strike targeted a Hamas command center within the school compound and that "numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians," including using precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and intelligence information.

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel’s internal intelligence service) confirmed that "at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were eliminated." The IDF refrained from estimating civilian casualties, consistently placing the blame for unintended casualties on Hamas's tactics of embedding themselves within civilian infrastructure.

The IDF also disputed the reported extent of the damage, asserting that the munitions used "cannot cause the amount of damage reported" by Hamas-controlled sources.

The White House's Balanced Yet Insufficient Statement

The White House's statement acknowledged Hamas's use of schools for military operations but urged Israel to minimize civilian harm, expressing sorrow for Palestinian civilian losses, including children. The statement underscored the urgency of a ceasefire and hostage deal without holding Hamas accountable for turning a humanitarian zone into a war zone, a blatant war crime.

Ongoing Military Operations

On Sunday, the IDF ordered the evacuation of a neighborhood in Khan Younis, previously declared a humanitarian zone, after rockets were fired from there. The warning stated that the area was now a "dangerous combat zone," leading hundreds of families to seek refuge. The IDF also reported striking 30 targets across Gaza in the past day.

Hamas's Denial

Hamas denied having a command center in the school, calling Israel's claim that 19 militants were killed "false and baseless," describing the attack as a “heinous massacre.” This denial, however, is questionable given their previous false claims, such as denying the death of Muhammad Deif in an IAF airstrike—an event later confirmed by local Gazans via social media.

Conclusion

The American media's portrayal of the IDF's airstrike lacks context and fairness, often relying on unreliable sources from Hamas-controlled entities. The IDF's efforts to minimize civilian harm and the strategic necessity of targeting militant operations embedded in civilian areas are often overlooked. Accurate reporting requires a balanced view, acknowledging the complexities of the conflict and the tactics employed by terrorist organizations like Hamas.

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