The Al Ahli Hospital incident in Gaza highlighted a disturbing trend: the immediate scapegoating of Israel.
Major media outlets all over the world, including the Philippines, were too quick to report that Israel was the one who did it. Despite later statements from Israel and conclusive evidence pointing to a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket, skepticism persisted, fueled by a fog of misinformation courtesy of Hamas, a terrorist organization.
The immediate and automatic belief in lies, even when later disproven, perpetuates a damaging cycle of delegitimization against Israel. As the world grapples with shocking images, it is imperative to question why the truth is so easily sacrificed on the altar of sensationalism. This appalling tactic, coupled with Hamas’ long history of deception, is well-documented. Yet, as we witnessed this week, there are those who still choose to be deceived by its propaganda.
The only thing worse than having to assault an entrenched enemy force is to assault one hiding out in tunnels.