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Media Reframe IDF Strike on Terrorists in Gaza School to Vilify Israel
Palestinians pass by the gate of an UNRWA-run school in Nablus in the West Bank. Photo: Reuters/Abed Omar Qusini.
Early on Thursday, June 6, the IDF announced that it had targeted Hamas terrorists inside an UNRWA school in Gaza.
But media outlets reframed the incident by omitting the terrorists’ presence, and emphasizing the number of casualties of the Israeli airstrike, making Israel look like it deliberately attacked innocent schoolchildren.
Eliminated: several Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who embedded themselves inside of an @UNRWA school.
IAF fighter jets conducted a precise strike on a Hamas compound embedded inside the school in the area of Nuseirat. These terrorists belonged to the Nukhba Forces and… pic.twitter.com/2AX28twfVs
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 6, 2024
In fact, Israel said the eliminated terrorists had taken part in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel, and exploited the school to launch more attacks against Israeli troops.
By ignoring or burying this fact to focus on the plight of innocent victims, media outlets provided the exact kind of coverage that Hamas hopes for when its terrorists use civilians as human shields.
Omitting the Terrorists
CNN’s headline, for example, parroted Hamas and omitted the Israeli claim about the presence of terrorists (which is mentioned only in the 5th paragraph):
Axios did the same, shamelessly leading with data from the “Hamas-controlled Gaza government press office,” and burying Israel’s statement about the terrorists in the fourth paragraph (which many readers don’t get to):
BBC and Voice of America’s headlines also ignored the terrorists.
And while TIME Magazine and The Guardian mentioned Israel’s targeting of terrorists high up in their stories, their headlines ignored it. Interestingly, TIME‘s editor chose a long headline with descriptive details about children and shelter, so it clearly wasn’t an issue of space:
Sky News’ tweet caption on the incident sounded like it came from a Hamas propaganda channel: “An Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza has killed dozens of people, including children, local officials say.”
An Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza has killed dozens of people, including children, local officials say.@alexrossiSKY has the latest.
More: https://t.co/GWardzBnJy
Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/vc5uDpanSf
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 6, 2024
Ignoring the Facts
Surprisingly, the wire services — which provide news to the outlets mentioned above — got it right.
Reuters’ headline read: “Dozens reported killed in strike on Gaza school that Israel says targeted Hamas.”
And the AP’s headline was: “Israeli strike kills at least 33 people at a Gaza school the military claims was being used by Hamas.”
Why didn’t other media outlets follow suit? Why did editors and writers choose to dance to Hamas’ tune?
These questions are particularly important in light of mounting evidence that Hamas has been systematically using UNRWA schools for terror purposes — including launching an anti-tank missile at Israeli troops last week.
Yet, virtually no media have touched this issue by reporting the Hamas abuses of facilities such as schools to carry out military operations. It’s only when Israel responds by striking these targets (which become legitimate military targets under international law by virtue of the presence of terrorists within) that makes headline news.
Ignoring the facts serves Hamas. And news consumers deserve better than being fed terrorist propaganda.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Media Reframe IDF Strike on Terrorists in Gaza School to Vilify Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Riding Anti-Trump Wave, Australia’s Albanese Secures 2nd term
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media during a press conference with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Aug. 16, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy
i24 News – Australia’s Anthony Albanese claimed a second term as prime minister on Saturday, in a comeback against once-resurgent conservatives that commentators said was powered by voters’ concerns about the impact of US President Donald Trump.
Peter Dutton, leader of the conservative Liberal party, conceded defeat and the loss of his own seat, echoing the fate of Canada’s conservatives and their leader Pierre Poilievre, whose election losses last week were also widely attributed to a Trump backlash.
Supporters at Labor’s election party in Sydney cheered and hugged each other as Albanese claimed victory and said his party would form a majority government.
“Our government will choose the Australian way, because we are proud of who we are and all that we have built together in this country,” Albanese told supporters.
The Australian Electoral Commission website projected Labor would win 81 of 150 seats in the House of Representatives, increasing its majority in parliament, with 68% of the vote counted.
The post Riding Anti-Trump Wave, Australia’s Albanese Secures 2nd term first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli PM Netanyahu Postpones Upcoming Visit to Azerbaijan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Feb. 16, 2025. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed next week’s visit to Azerbaijan, his office announced on Saturday, in part due to recent developments in Gaza and Syria.
The prime minister’s office also cited “the intense diplomatic and security schedule” and said that the visit would be rescheduled, without announcing a new date.
Netanyahu was to visit Azerbaijan from May 7-11 and was expected to meet with President Ilham Aliyev. Israel and Azerbaijan maintain close security and energy ties.
The post Israeli PM Netanyahu Postpones Upcoming Visit to Azerbaijan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired from Yemen; Houthis Claim Responsibility
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
Israel’s military said on Saturday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen and Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the attack, the third of its kind by the Iran-aligned group in 24 hours.
The Israeli military said sirens were activated in a number of areas in Israel after the missile was launched. No casualties or serious damage have been reported from the missile salvos.
The claim of responsibility, announced by the Houthis’ military spokesperson, came amid an intensification of US airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.
In March, US President Donald Trump ordered large-scale strikes against the Houthis to reduce their capabilities and deter them from targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The deadly strikes on the group have been the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office in January.
The Houthis say their attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping are in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Hamas terrorists and Israel in Gaza.
The group pledged to expand its range of targets in Israel in retaliation for a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza launched in mid-March, breaking a two-month-old ceasefire after the mediated talks on terms for extending it broke down.
The post Israel Says It Intercepted Missile Fired from Yemen; Houthis Claim Responsibility first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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