In the plethora of media coverage since the incomprehensibly barbaric events of October 7th, opinions and emotions have often obscured the basic facts. Perhaps worse in their effects have been the frequent screenings of the bomb-devasted ruins of parts of Gaza, ghastly images with persuasive power of their own. A significant proportion of that damage is likely due to the secondary explosion of Hamas/Palestinian Islamic Jihad munition stores, a factor so far not mentioned by our press. The notorious ‘fog of war’ is so much more than confusion for combatants in the battles, it is exacerbated by the armchair critics within the media, who seem rarely to consult experts.
No apology for mistakes
A glaring example comes from the BBC in regard to the explosion at the al-Ahli hospital on October 17th, which was clearly reported by its top journalist, Jeremy Bowen, as the result of a deliberate Israeli airstrike on the hospital itself, along with the implied condemnation of Israel: “It’s hard to see what else this could be really given the size of the explosion other than an Israeli air strike or several air strikes”, he said. Not long afterwards aerial photo evidence demonstrated that what had been hit was a carpark beside the hospital and that the cause was a misfired Hamas rocket.
Interviewed about this egregious error on BBC TV on November 24th he said, “…. I don’t regret one thing in my reporting, because I think I think I was measured throughout. I didn’t race to judgment … we have to piece together what we see. And I thought, well, it looks like whole building’s gone. And that was my conclusion from looking at the pictures. And I was wrong on that. But I don’t feel too bad about that …”1 No comment was made about blaming Israel, and it seems that no apology is forthcoming from the BBC, yet such damage is virtually irremediable. Mud sticks!
The notorious ‘fog of war’ ...is exacerbated by the armchair critics within the media.
Without wishing to focus unduly on the same institution and person, I am reminded of Bowen’s refutation of the use by Hamas of human shields in the 2014 Gaza war: “I saw no evidence during my week in Gaza of Israel’s accusation that Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields.”2 These were weasel words from a man who patently ignores context, such as the Hamas infamous poster depicting rows of people on tower-block roofs standing against falling bombs. Can he really be so unaware of the Islamist context as to continue, “I saw men from Hamas on street corners, keeping an eye on what was happening. They were local people and everyone knew them, even the young boys. Raji Sourani, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, told me that Hamas, whatever you think of it, is part of the Palestinian DNA”?
Human shields
One doesn’t have to be pro-Israel to recognise the appalling strategies of Hamas. In an interview on Palestinian Authority TV on July 9th 2014 (translated by MEMRI), Ibrahim Khreisheh, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations Human Rights Council, stated that indiscriminate Hamas rockets fired from densely-populated residential areas are “crimes against humanity”, clearly recognising the ‘human shield’ factor.3
In addition, Amnesty International has condemned the summary killings and executions of alleged “collaborators” in Gaza by Hamas forces during the conflict, rather giving the lie to Bowen’s avuncular view of the situation. Amnesty’s report also details other violations of international humanitarian law by Palestinian armed groups during the conflict, such as storing rockets and other munitions in civilian buildings, including UN schools, and cases where armed groups launched attacks or stored munitions very near locations where hundreds of displaced civilians were taking shelter.4 Surely all responsible reporters, let alone senior editors, know the importance of context, especially context such as this?
Abuse of hospitals
Hamas has denied that the Shifa hospital is used as a militant base, but a British doctor, who asked to remain anonymous, told France-24 that he had worked there for three months in 2021. He said: “When I was first asked to work there, I was told there was a part of the hospital I was not to go near, and if I did, I’d be in danger of being shot.” When asked if it was explained why, the man, speaking with a Home Counties accent, said: “No, but implicit was that it was being used for non-medical purposes … I stayed away, but I saw a few dodgy-looking non-medical characters going in and out all the time. It was a ward leading to a basement. As I said, I didn’t go there, so I behaved myself.”
I cannot emphasise too much, the air of collective paranoia that existed there. If hospital staff were 10 per cent frightened of possible Israeli airstrikes, they were 90 per cent frightened of being persecuted by Hamas.
He went on: “I was welcome everywhere else, and as I say the doctors and nurses there were very welcoming and very kind and the hushed tones under which this was said was very consistent with all the other hushed tones with which Hamas was discussed. You know people were genuinely fearful. I cannot emphasise too much, the air of collective paranoia that existed there. If hospital staff were 10 per cent frightened of possible Israeli airstrikes, they were 90 per cent frightened of being persecuted by Hamas.” 
The picture to the right, captured by Israel from the hospital’s security cameras, shows a Hamas gunman, still armed, whilst another person threatens a medic, with what seems like a knife, on October 7th. To its credit, this was reported by the Daily Mail.5
Hatred of Israel undiminished
Neglected within our British media coverage lies the motivation behind the Islamist strategy of Hamas. Here’s what a senior spokesman of Hamas, Ghazi Hamad, had to say on Lebanese TV on October 24th –
“Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove that country because it constitutes a security, military and political catastrophe to the Arab and Islamic nation and must be finished. We are not ashamed to say this with full force. We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The al-Aqsa Flood is just the first time, and there will be a second, and third, and fourth, because we have the determination, the resolve and the capabilities to fight. Will we have to pay a price? Yes, and we are willing to pay it. We are called a nation of Martyrs, and we are proud to sacrifice martyrs. … .The occupation must come to an end....” The interviewer interrupts …. “Occupation where? In the Gaza Strip?” “No. I am talking about all the Palestinian lands.” “Does that mean the annihilation of Israel?” “Yes. Of course. … The existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood and tears. It is Israel, not us. We are victims of the occupation. Period. Therefore, no-one should blame us for the things we do. On October 7, on October 10, on October 1,000,000, everything we do is justified.” (MEMRI translation from Arabic)6
The Daily Mail highlighted this interview, and even The Guardian alluded to it in a thoughtful comment piece – but despite the video of the interview going viral, there was not one mention on the BBC.
We must pray for truth to prevail, for wisdom to overcome paranoia, for compassion to overcome hatred.
“Everything we do is justified”? Remember, remember, on October 7th Jewish civilians were butchered; men were beheaded, women raped, a pregnant mother knifed open and her baby ripped out, a 12 year-old girl and her brother burned alive, even babies burned. Remember, remember, especially if as yet you didn’t know, the rejoicing that took place in Gaza and the West Bank for these atrocities.
For example, Dr. Kamal Kashko, of Shifa Hospital, posted that same day (in Arabic, translated by Google), “Thank Allah that sometimes we see this with our own eyes and on that day will rejoice with believers”, whilst Dr. Khaled Abu Samra posted, “Wake up everyone, tell them history is being made. We are spying on their houses. Ya Allah!” (an Islamic invocation), also posting a ‘Love’ on his fiance’s post: “Palestinian Resistance is Azna. Resistance is our pride. Resistance is our hope, resistance is our strength. May Allah deliver them, protect them and guide their steps”. A medical analyst at Shifa, Mohamed Al-Shareif, declared, “The truth is that today is the most beautiful day in our generation. Glory and glory to the heroes.”8
Despite all the upheavals, deaths and destruction in Gaza, slightly more than three in four Palestinians have a positive view of Hamas in the wake of its Oct. 7th terrorist attacks in Israel, according to a survey conducted between October 31st and November 7th by the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) research firm. It also found that almost 80% regard the role of Hamas’s ‘Al-Qassam Brigades’ military wing as positive.9 Of course, we don’t know how free Gazans were to respond honestly, given the fear that Hamas governs by, so these numbers may not be accurate.
Pray for peace
In view of all this, the future looks exceedingly bleak for Gaza and for Israel. How we need to pray for Islamism to be exposed in all its horror, and also for the minority of Jewish extremists to repent. We must pray for truth to prevail, for wisdom to overcome paranoia, for compassion to overcome hatred. We must continue to proclaim the truth, to be ‘Watchmen on the walls’ and to ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem’, whatever the cost. The spiritual battle continues.
Notes
1. Jeremy Bowen: I Have No Regrets Over 'Wrong' Gaza Reporting (mediaite.com) 25 Nov 2023; accessed 26 Nov 2023
2. Jeremy Bowen's Gaza notebook: I saw no evidence of Hamas using Palestinians as human shields (newstatesman.com) 24 July 2014; re-accessed 26 Nov 2023
3. Palestinian Envoy to UNHRC: Israelis Warn Civilians Before Attacks, We Don't 13 July 2014; re-accessed 26 Nov 2023
4. Hamas committed multiple war crimes with 'indiscriminate' rockets and mortars - new report | Amnesty International UK 26 Mar 2015; re-accessed26 Nov 2023
5. British doctor who worked at Gaza's Al Shifa hospital says he was warned there were areas where he would be shot by Hamas if he entered | Daily Mail Online 20 Nov 2023; accessed 20 Nov 2023
6. https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1719662664090075199 01 Nov 2023; accessed 19 Nov 2023
7. Once this war between Israel and Hamas is over, a deeper conflict looms, Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, 3 November 2023
8. International media and the Hamas supporting Doctors of Shifa (david-collier.com) 19 Nov 2023; accessed 26 Nov 2023 (applies to all quoted posts)
9. https://unitedwithisrael.org/three-in-four-palestinians-support-hamass-massacre/ 19 Nov 2023; re-accessed 23 Nov 2023