Discussion thread for the Hamas Attacks Israel thread, October 2023

So where is the IDF explanation of what happened to Hind Rajab? Their first attempt was proven to be false (lies, based on my reading – baseless lies). They still haven’t explained what actually happened. She was a five year old girl trapped in a car for hours (a car that had been destroyed by the IDF, with family members inside), pleading for help on the phone, and when paramedics were sent, the paramedics were killed along with Rajab.

Shit happens in war – obviously it does. That’s not an explanation, nor is it an excuse. Hind Rajab never posed any threat at all to Israel, and at the very least, her memory and her family are owed an explanation for what went wrong. And if any IDF members behaved improperly in her death, they should face justice.

What makes you think you’re entitled to one? It’s not realistic to expect Israel to account for the cause of every single civilian casualty.

Hind Rajab’s family is entitled to an explanation. They haven’t gotten one. It’s entirely realistic to expect Israel to explain a child’s death that has gotten so much public attention. If they had a good explanation, they would have offered it. That they have not seems like a pretty good indication that the true explanation does not reflect well on the IDF.

They were in a war zone. That’s the explanation.

Bullshit. You wouldn’t accept an ICE explanation of a missing child “they were in a migrant zone” or “they were in a group of criminal aliens”. And the IDF lied about this already! Why would you trust them so easily after their initial lies were exposed, and they’ve never even tried again to explain?

…this is incorrect.

And iiandyiii is incorrect as well.

The IDF has provided an explanation. It just isn’t a credible one. The IDF claims “they weren’t in the area” at the time. So it can’t have been them.

This Sky News report includes audio recording of Hind’s 15-year-old cousin begging for help, clearly describing a tank which was just about to kill her. We hear her scream then die.

Then for three hours they talk to Hind, trying to comfort her. The Red Crescent get permission to send an ambulance to rescue her. The ambulance is later destroyed, both paramedics killed, and Hind is also shot and killed.

Here is the Forensic Architecture report on Hind’s killing.

It provides even more evidence that, yes, the IDF committed these warcrimes. It simply isn’t credible that anyone else was responsible for these killings.

The IDF explanation wasn’t that “they were in a warzone.” It was “it wasn’t us.” They are lying.

Apples and elephants. ICE isn’t defending this country against an existential threat.

According to Wikipedia, which as I cited has an anti-Israel bias.

I don’t have to trust them. I don’t see that there’s any reason they need to explain anything about this to anyone.

I did mention they lied.

I get that you’re happy to accept IDF propaganda without question, but surely you must recognize that, considering the IDF record of lies (which, you’ll note, come from journalists reporting facts, including Israeli journalists and news organizations like Haaretz), some of us are more skeptical, right?

I have no interest in “IDF propaganda”. Whatever they have to say about the situation is irrelevant because there’s nothing extraordinary or noteworthy about it in the first place. Civilian casualties are unavoidable in war and you’ve provided me with no reason to think this one is any different.

…nobody wants Israel to be distributing aid at this level. The humanitarian agencies are perfectly capable of doing it on their own. And those agencies have reported over and over again that Hamas are not the problem in getting aid distributed to the people. It’s Israel.

The ceasefire agreement was for 600 trucks of aid a day. From all reports, the amount of trucks getting into Gaza hasn’t exceeded half of that. On average about 250 trucks. Many of them commercial trucks, not aid. And it includes low value items like chocolate bars and cellphones and not the desperately needed shelter, food and aid.

No I wouldn’t. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib has…a reputation. And that he is sharing unverified videos that are probably out of context is unsurprising.

In response to this video, from the Gaza Health Ministry Director-General Dr. Munir al-Bursh:

The idea that Hamas is deliberately hoarding infant formula for propaganda purposes is really reaching for the heights of absurdity, as if the killing of over 70,000 people, a deliberately engineered famine, babies left to die in their incubators, the systematic targeting and destruction of the healthcare system, schools and infrastructure isn’t already enough. The idea that baby formula will be what finally changes the minds of western governments, “and if we hide a few crates…that will do it!” doesn’t make any sense.

This was the reality.

After her car was shot and family members killed, she was trapped in a car for hours. Her cousin, who later died, managed to call for paramedics. The paramedics were finally able to come get her. When they arrived, the IDF killed everyone left alive.

That’s not remotely a normal thing happening in a war zone. At the very least, an explanation is warranted. If the IDF actually had a good explanation, they would have given it.

Your lack of interest in why so many children are killed (and other bad things) is very convenient for bad people who want to do bad things. Or even just incompetent or dishonest people who want to cover up mistakes or crimes.

I’m just gonna throw this out there, Smapti, but let me guess - you’re similarly uncurious about the incompetent Trumper bozos who Netanyahu put in charge of distributing aid to Gaza, purely because they were pals of Trump, right? And when their incompetence meant that many desperate Gazans died avoidable deaths, similarly you probably have no interest in any explanation, or accountability, right?

…no question they lied. Not disagreeing with that. And I agree with everything you have said. I was more commenting on this:

They have gotten an explanation. It’s the only one they are going to get. I think Hind Rajab’s family is entitled to the truth. And they won’t get that from the IDF.

According to who? Wikipedia? I’m not taking anything Wikipedia says about Israel at face value these days.

I’m curious about why you think Hamas stealing food aid intended for civilians is a non-factor. Handing out MREs doesn’t usually require any special level of competence.

If you’re unwilling to even consider independent reporting, including from Israeli journalists, and if you truly believe that distributing aid in a war zone doesn’t require experience and expertise, then there’s really no point in discussing anything. That’s a level of unreality that I can’t even begin to address.

In your attempt to prove that Wikipedia is biased, you cited nothing but Jewish sources. Ironic.

Are you suggesting that “Jewish sources” are inherently untrustworthy?

I am suggesting they are not free of bias.

I’m willing to consider independent reporting. The only cite you’ve provided is Wikipedia.

And whose fault is it that it’s a war zone?