On Tuesday night, Israeli warplanes struck Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, resulting in a tragic loss of life, with at least 500 casualties reported, including a significant number of children, the elderly and women. Unfortunately, the death toll is anticipated to rise further since Israel, which has completely devastated the health care system in Gaza through bombings and embargoes, is also reported to have struck rescue workers in the hospital rubble.
Israel initially claimed that the hospital, which had been bombed, was being used as a shelter and that they had issued multiple warnings prior to the attack, but their narrative shifted hours later. Hananya Naftali, the Israeli digital spokesperson, deleted a post in which he confessed to Israel's involvement in the hospital's bombing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the hospital was hit during a missile test conducted by Palestinian groups.
Israel is aware of the outrage this attack has caused worldwide, as it goes beyond a war crime to an atrocity. Even the Nazis did not go this far. However, the Israeli administration's options are now limited. The enormity of this crime has brought to light the true nature of Israel's war machinery, making it impossible to erase its consequences through tweet deletions or manipulating the truth. This is a massacre with not just regional but also global repercussions, leaving indelible marks that will fuel a wave of hatred against Israel worldwide. Nations that were previously indecisive or confused due to Hamas' civilian targets are now likely to adopt a clearer stance against Israel.
In the face of this evident war crime, the excuses of various global institutions including the United Nations and the European Union, the latter even supporting Israeli attacks against civilians, will vanish.
After the hospital massacre, U.S. President Joe Biden, who had offered condolences and wished for a swift recovery, visited Israel, where he shook hands with Israeli administrators who had authorized the hospital bombing, leading to the tragic deaths of at least 500 civilians the previous night.
Ahead of the 2024 elections, the Biden administration, which has faced limited prospects, might seek a Middle East conflict to solidify its voter support base, and it is noteworthy that we know the bombs used in Israel's operations that resulted in the killing of civilians were supplied by the U.S., with the redeployment of aircraft carriers to the Eastern Mediterranean not appearing to be a peace-oriented move.
However, the usual mechanisms that Washington has relied on for years may not work this time, and as the U.S. loses influence across a broad geographical area from Afghanistan to the Gulf, its isolation alongside Israel in the region could go down in history as Biden's ultimate preelection failure.
CNN, Deutsche Welle, The Guardian and even the BBC have all tarnished their reputations as the global media's stance has been shameful since the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood operation, in which Israel has used as a pretext for the Gaza genocide.
So-called "respected" institutions that have long dominated journalism are crumbling one by one, proving their role as propaganda tools for Israeli intelligence through news stories for which they were compelled to apologize. CNN, now echoing the U.S. government's narrative, even managed to convince the U.S. president with the lie of "Palestinians beheading Israeli babies." The state-affiliated Deutsche Welle is attempting to rationalize Israel's acts of terrorism against civilians by stretching the concept of war crimes with its analyses.
Undoubtedly, the most jarring instance of media support for the latest genocide attempt in our era is the BBC's unfortunate stance.
It is deeply disheartening to witness a flagship news organization, which sets the standard for peace journalism and universal principles within our profession, ultimately endorsing those responsible for bombing a hospital!
In the midst of relentless pressure from various governments and public opinion, I wholeheartedly commend Haaretz newspaper and my Israeli colleagues who fearlessly report the truth and do not hold back their critiques of the Netanyahu administration.
