“Hamas set up a trap and the international media fell for it,” an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman said Thursday, rebuking the media’s eagerness to take the word of a terrorist organization, like Hamas, without first examining the facts.
After media in the U.S. and abroad jumped at the chance to blame Israel for the destruction of a Gaza hospital earlier this week – which was ultimately revealed to be Hamas’ doing – IDF posted a video on social media warning of the dangers of such hasty and biased journalism.
“Instead of verifying the information, the media kept publishing, sorry, keeps publishing, fake news,” the IDF spokesman explains:
“Islamic jihad bombed a hospital in Gaza. The whole world immediately assumed it was an Israeli strike.
“No fact-checking.
“No making sure.
“No filtering information.
“Hamas set up a trap and the international media fell for it. Instead of verifying the information, the media kept publishing, sorry, keeps publishing, fake news.”
Hamas set up the trap and the international media fell for it.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 19, 2023
One truth still stands—Hamas is genocidal terrorist organization. pic.twitter.com/nFbd8MiAGv
“They quoted a terrorist organization that beheaded babies, rapes women, and indiscriminately kills, before seeing any proof,” he says, adding “Was ISIS ever considered a credible news source?”
Today’s media are encouraging terrorists to continue to lie and putting lives at risk, he warns:
“This behavior rewards misinformation and encourages lies and shows terrorists around the world that this tactic, lying, works. This will remain a critical point in the coming days. Repeating Hamas’ lies can - and does - cost lives in Gaza, in Israel and around the world.”
By accepting and reporting Hamas’ lies as facts, media are failing to practice even the “most basic tenants of journalism,” the IDF spokesman says:
“Media outlets demonstrated that the most basic tenants of journalism, fact-checking, is sorely lacking. The whole world is asking for accountability from a country for defending its civilians after a brutal massacre. And yet, not only is accountability not demanded from Hamas, their lies are taken as facts and then misreported around the world.”
“Just remember: the whole world is watching,” he concludes.