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Unlike the Media, Palestinian Authority Blames Hamas for Death of Civilians in Gaza

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, shelter in tents, in Gaza City May 11, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
While the international community is blaming Israel for the tragic civilian deaths in Gaza, Palestinians are correctly blaming Hamas for intentionally using civilians as using human shields. Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah published a short video criticizing Hamas for its responsibility for the deaths of Gazan civilians, because they use them as human shields in the war:
Fatah-run Awdah TV narrator: “From [Hamas leader] Khaled Mashaal, who described the Martyrs of the Gaza Strip as ‘tactical losses,’ to [Hamas official] Musa Abu Marzouq and [Al-Jazeera’s] Sa’id Ziyad, who said ‘We will fight using the flesh of Gaza’s children,‘ there is a clear way in whose name people are being sacrificed with utmost arrogance and denial.
But from the heart of the Gaza Strip voices are rising … Today the Palestinians are demanding that Hamas leave the political scene after it failed to provide the most minimal protection to the civilians and used them as human shields in an endless war.” [emphasis added]
[Fatah Commission of Information and Culture, Facebook page, May 18, 2025]
A regular columnist of the official Palestinian Authority (PA) daily echoed this criticism two days later, saying Hamas is preoccupied with “child flesh production,” viewing Gazan women merely as “factories for producing babies” so they can be led to “the slaughterhouse” of the war:
Hamas, has demonstrated the discourse of disaster … The first was broadcasted on the [Al-Jazeera] screen of deceit and fraud: ‘We will fight using the flesh of our children,‘ as [Al-Jazeera commentator] Sa’id Ziyad said, and the second: ‘The Martyrs, Allah willing – we will create dozens of times as many in their place,’ as was said… by their [Hamas] Spokesman Dr. Sami Abu Zahri … [emphasis added]
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 20, 2025]
A top Fatah official condemned Hamas, citing several statements from Hamas leaders during the current war that testify to the lack of value of human life for the Hamas terror organization and its evil use of civilians as human shields:
Fatah Spokesman in Europe and Fatah Revolutionary Council member Jamal Nazzal: “[Hamas] considers this as a gain because the value of the Palestinian person … has no consideration or value according to Hamas’ perspective …
[Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri] says that in return for the Martyrs, we will produce several times of them. [Hamas Political Bureau member] Ghazi Hamad said that whether Israel will kill 100,000 or 200,000 [Gazans] we will continue. Or as [Hamas leader] Khaled Mashaal said that these Palestinian losses are “tactical losses.“ …
[Hamas official] Musa Abu Marzouq said we did not establish the [bomb] shelters for the Palestinian people in Gaza, because the Palestinian people in Gaza are under the responsibility of the UN and our [Hamas’] responsibility is our fighters… If we have a white cloth, we won’t use it as a white flag …[emphasis added]
[Official PA TV, Topic of the Day, May 20, 2025]
Gazans themselves have been speaking out against Hamas, for some time now.
In November 2024, when the Gaza war launched by Hamas had lasted for more than a year, Israeli journalist Ohad Hemo entered the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza Strip and interviewed Gazans about Hamas. This video shows some of their statements (longer excerpt below):
Woman 1: “The situation is difficult, may God take revenge on those who uprooted us and killed us in our homes.”
Channel 12 reporter Ohad Hemo: “Who killed you?”
Woman 1: “Hamas killed us. Hamas wounded me and killed us. Hamas.”
Hemo: “Is Hamas responsible for everything we see here?”
Woman 1: “It’s all Hamas, Hamas.” …
Woman 2: “May God settle accounts with Hamas. May God take revenge on Hamas. They destroyed our lives. We want you [Israelis] to rule here, we do not want Hamas. The entire people hates Hamas.”
Woman 3: “Hamas has ruined our lives. We are a poor people. Hamas has eaten us up. Hamas has taken our [humanitarian] aid, they have taken everything. Hamas’ wicked government. Hamas are terrorists. Exterminate Hamas from the world! We are with you! We are with you! We are with you!” …
[Channel 12 (Israel), Nov. 10, 2024]
For years, Palestinian Media Watch has exposed that Hamas uses Gazan civilians as human shields.
The current Gaza war is just the latest example. In April, the PA complained that Hamas is holding “more than two million Palestinians hostage… as human shields.”
Additional criticism of Hamas was voiced by a group affiliated with Fatah, because it should be the shield for Gazans, but instead turned Gazans into shields for their own protection:
Posted text: “Hamas, which is supposed to be the shield, has become the sword raised over our heads. Instead of defending – it has become oppressive…
The people in the Gaza Strip are not only under external siege, but are also under an internal siege… Whoever speaks out receives a bullet, prison, or disappears… We are not against the resistance, but we are against being used as shields.” [emphasis added]
[“Sons of the Homeland,” Telegram channel, April 24, 2025]
A columnist of the official PA daily stressed that Hamas has endangered “millions of peaceful and innocent civilians”:
[Hamas] has become professional in ways of drawing the religious-Talmudic Zionist monster into the homes of millions of peaceful and innocent civilians in private wars, which are meant to achieve sectoral goals.” [emphasis added]
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 29, 2025]
The author is a senior analyst at Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article was originally published.
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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel

US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany

An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
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Israel Says Brazil’s Exit From IHRA Shows ‘a Profound Moral Failure’

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reacts after meeting with Brazilian citizens, who were repatriated from the Gaza Strip, upon arrival at the Air Force base of Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
The Brazilian government has not yet confirmed its reported decision to withdraw from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), however both Brazilian media and the Jewish state have have done so.
On Thursday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated on X that “Brazil’s decision to join the legal offensive against Israel at the ICJ [International Court of Justice] while withdrawing from the IHRA, is a demonstration of a profound moral failure. At a time when Israel is fighting for its very existence, turning against the Jewish state and abandoning the global consensus against antisemitism is both reckless and shameful.”
On Wednesday, reports emerged of Brazil’s plans to join South Africa in charging Israel with genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa has argued the case against Israel since December 2023.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement’s Shay Salamon, Director of Hispanic Affairs, condemned Brazil’s withdrawal from IHRA in a Friday statement.
“The Brazilian government’s move is not only irresponsible, but also deeply alarming at a time of rising antisemitism worldwide,” Salamon said. “Denying the importance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and abandoning its Working Definition of Antisemitism minimizes the Holocaust and disregards the history of a people who have been victimized by hatred for ages.”
Salamon stated that “Brazil is home to the second-largest Jewish community in Latin America, including many descendants of Holocaust survivors, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has now turned his back on them. This decision, on top of his constant attacks on Israel, further confirms what was already clear — President Lula has normalized antisemitism in his official discourse. His approach represents neither neutrality nor diplomacy — rather, it’s complicity.”
Fernando Lottenberg, who serves as Organization of American States (OAS) Commissioner for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism, offered his analysis of Lula’s move in a thread of posts on X, saying that “this is a step in the wrong direction.”
“Although Brazil has not adopted the [IHRA antisemitism] definition nationally, it has been adopted in 12 Brazilian states so far, as well as in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo,” Lottenberg wrote. “The IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism is an important tool that, although not legally binding, has been adopted by more than 45 countries and 2,000 institutions around the world to help inform, identify, and combat antisemitism.”
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