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Hamas Lies; It’s Time We Start Acknowledging It

Yahya Sinwar, head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City on April 14, 2023. Photo: Yousef Masoud / SOPA Images/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

As the Israel-Gaza war continues, many reporters are trying to present both sides of the conflict, in order to deliver the objectivity required of journalists. However, when it comes to Hamas, simply treating the terror organization’s statements with the same credibility as those of Israel is an act of journalistic negligence.

Hamas and other Palestinian organizations have a history of deceiving the public in times of war. In late December, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, lied about Hamas’ progress in the war, claiming their forces had killed more than 1,500 Israeli soldiers. In reality, the number of confirmed military casualties as of that day, including those killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, was only 456. Similarly, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of Hamas, told the BBC that the October 7 terrorists did not murder any innocent civilians; this came after the terrorists filmed themselves killing women, children, and elderly civilians.

The lying phenomenon is not unique to Hamas or this conflict; it is pervasive in the Middle East. In 1967, after Israeli troops had taken control of the Sinai peninsula, Ahmed Said, a broadcaster for an Egyptian state-run radio, famously reported an Egyptian victory, falsely claiming that Egyptian forces had shot down 70 Israeli planes.

To better understand why outright deception is so frequently deployed, it is essential to realize that although lying is forbidden in Islam, all of the above examples are permissible according to Sunni law (the Islamic sect that Hamas is affiliated with).

 Many Sunni sources define lying in war as a “non-lie.” Hadith 4921 in Sunan Abu Dawood says, “I do not count as a liar a man who puts things right between people, saying a word by which he intends only putting things right, and a man who says something in war.”

Similarly, the Jami at Tirmidhi Hadith 1939 says, “It is not lawful to lie except in three cases: Something the man tells his wife to please her, to lie during the war, and to lie to bring peace between the people.”

Although lying during war can arguably be justified, especially when it may save lives, Hamas has used this tactic to repeatedly mislead the public for years. And still, despite the repeated lies and their clear, proven, and frequent refutals, often by objective outsiders, the international media keeps treating Hamas with similar credibility as they would any Western government. They quote its casualty figures, and give its representatives a platform to voice their statements and positions.

Accepting Hamas as a credible source has a lasting and damaging impact on readers and viewers, even if the claims are later proven false, because many people hear the lie, but never the correction.

In contrast, Israel continues to prove its commitment to truth and transparency, often putting its reputation and military progress at risk in order to tell the truth. The IDF has reported military errors that led to the death of its soldiers, and has taken responsibility for a botched operation that resulted in the killing of three Israeli hostages. When Israel faced allegations of bombing the Al-Ahli hospital, the IDF spokesperson waited hours before commenting in order to allow for an investigation, which proved Israel had no involvement and was not operating in that area at the time. Still, Israel and Hamas are often treated as equally credible despite the drastic distinctions between the two sides’ approaches to honesty at war.

We must begin to acknowledge Hamas’ lies, and reporters must exercise more scrutiny when repeating them. Simply taking Hamas’ statements at face value without questioning their accuracy and validity is a disservice to readers and viewers.

In order to present an accurate account of the war, it is crucial that commentators recognize Hamas’ history of misinformation, and approach the group’s allegations with a greater degree of skepticism. Although Gaza is a dangerous place that is not accessible to most journalists, deeper scrutiny of Hamas’ statements is the only way to begin telling the truth about the war.

Elya Cowland is a British-Israeli public relations professional living in Jerusalem. Following the October 7 massacre, he has been facilitating media opportunities and press conferences for hostage families and coordinating media campaigns for war-related initiatives and organizations.

The post Hamas Lies; It’s Time We Start Acknowledging It first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Report: IDF Probes Whether Houthis Used Iranian Cluster Bomb-Bearing Missile

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi addresses followers via a video link at the al-Shaab Mosque, formerly al-Saleh Mosque, in Sanaa, Yemen, Feb. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

i24 NewsThe Israeli military said Saturday it launched a probe into the failure of its defenses to fully intercept a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi jihadists, parts of which struck not far from the Ben Gurion airport on Friday night.

According to the Ynet website, one of the hypotheses being examined is that the projectile contained cluster munitions, similar to those used by Iran to fire at Israeli cities during the 12-day war in June. Cluster munitions pose a challenge to interceptors as they disperse smaller explosives over a wide area.

In June, Iran fired several missiles carrying scattered small bombs with the aim of increasing civilian casualties.

The IDF said on Saturday that its initial review suggests the ballistic missile from Yemen likely fragmented in mid-air. Five interceptors from various systems engaged with the missile, including THAAD, Arrow, David Sling & Iron Dome.

Authorities said that shrapnel impacted a house in the central Israeli moshav of Ginaton, yet no one was hurt, with the fragment landing in the house’s backyard.

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Iran Forces Kill Six Militants, IRNA Reports, Israel Link Seen

The Iranian flag is seen flying over a street in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 3, 2023. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iranian security forces shot dead six militants in a clash in southeastern Iran on Saturday, a day after armed rebels killed five police officers in the restive region, the official news agency IRNA reported.

IRNA said evidence showed the group was linked to Israel and may have been trained by Israel‘s Mossad spy agency. There was no immediate Israeli reaction to the allegation.

Another two members of the militant group were arrested, the report said. All but one of the militants were foreign, it added, without giving their nationality.

Iranian police said this month they had arrested as many as 21,000 suspects during the 12-day war with Israel in June.

Iran’s southeast has been the scene of sporadic clashes between security forces and armed groups, including Sunni militants and separatists who say they are fighting for greater rights and autonomy.

Tehran says some of them have ties to foreign powers and are involved in cross-border smuggling and insurgency.

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Benny Gantz Urges Time-Limited National Unity Government to Further Chances of Hostage Deal

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz attends his party’s meeting at the Knesset, Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, June 27, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 NewsBlue and White Party leader Benny Gantz on Saturday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition politicians to form a temporary national unity government to further the chances of bringing home the hostages held in Gaza.

Addressing Netanyahu, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, Gantz said that the proposed government’s two supreme priorities would be the release of Israeli hostages held by the jihadists of Hamas and instituting universal conscription in Israel by ending the exemption from military service enjoyed by the ultra-Orthodox.

Upon attainment of the goals, the government would dissolve and call an election.

“The government’s term will begin with a hostage deal that brings everyone home,” Gantz said in a video address. “Within weeks, we will formulate an enlistment outline that would see our ultra-Orthodox brethren drafted to the military and ease the burden on those already serving. Finally, we will announce an agreed-upon election date in the spring of 2026 and pass a law to dissolve the Knesset [Israeli parliament] accordingly. This is what’s right for Israel.”

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