As the reality of civilian killings committed by the Palestinian armed group Hamas during a surprise attack on Israel is revealed, the public opinion war between both sides trying to secure justification for the attack is intensifying.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a TV speech on the 11th (local time), “Hamas not only beheaded Israeli soldiers and raped women, but also shot children in the head and burned people alive,” adding, “Hamas members are now “Everyone is dead,” he warned. CNN reported that the Israeli Prime Minister’s spokesman also said that the beheaded bodies of infants and toddlers were found in Krar Aza Kibbutz (collective farm) on the border between Gaza and Israel. This is an area that has suffered terrible damage, with testimony reporting that 40 baby bodies were discovered.
Suspicions of Hamas’ massacre of civilians were further amplified when U.S. President Joe Biden met with Jewish leaders at the White House that day and said, “I never imagined I would see pictures of terrorists beheading children.” However, the White House explained, “We only made the comment based on the claims of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s spokesperson and Israeli media reports and did not see the photo.”
Hamas denied the massacre allegations in a statement, saying, “Western media are spreading groundless claims that our resistance fighters are involved in the beheading of children and sexual assault of women. “This is information manipulation to cover up Israel’s massacres and crimes,” he claimed.
On the 11th, the sixth day of the war, the death toll on both sides exceeded 2,300. Israeli authorities estimated that the death toll reached at least 1,200. The Palestinian Ministry of Health also reported that 1,100 people had died.
President Biden directly mentioned Iran and said, “I clearly told them to be careful,” in preparation for concerns about an escalation of war if Israel’s deployment of ground troops becomes a reality. He also dispatched Secretary of State Tony Blincoln to Israel and delivered a message of strong support and deterrence against Iran and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.