Two prominent news channels, Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, released a video on January 27 purportedly showing throngs of residents from the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza chanting, “The people want to overthrow Hamas” as they evacuate the area.
The video rapidly gained widespread attention on social media, sparking accusations that Israeli soldiers, who had encircled displaced individuals at the Khan Yunis to Rafah crossing point, coerced them into chanting against Hamas. In response to these allegations, both Al-Hadath and Al-Arabiya removed the emerging news from all their social media accounts.
Conversely, Misbar found that several official Israeli accounts had shared this footage on January 27, stating it showed crowds of Palestinian people chanting against Hamas. They exploited it to promote the narrative that Hamas is responsible for the hardships and suffering endured by Gazans amid the ongoing war.
Is there any evidence to suggest that the displaced people were pressured or coerced into chanting against Hamas, and if so, how credible is the footage?
Israel Targets Displaced Palestinians in the Southern Gaza Strip
Misbar spoke with a displaced person who was present at the gathering during their displacement from Khan Younis. He said that people were forced to chant against Hamas in an attempt to persuade Israeli soldiers not to kill them, especially since the Israeli forces and their vehicles were stationed at the crossing point.
In this context, several media outlets documented numerous instances of Israeli forces executing unarmed displaced civilians, including those displaying white flags, as they attempted to move to areas designated as "safe" by the occupation.
On January 9, media outlets unveiled disturbing footage depicting Israeli snipers shooting a Palestinian woman fleeing from northern Gaza with her child, holding a white flag of surrender.
Moreover, news channels unveiled a harrowing video capturing the deplorable actions of the occupying forces targeting displaced people at Al-Nasr Hospital after besieging it, despite them raising white flags.
In addition to this footage, a Palestinian journalist documented the execution of an unarmed Palestinian civilian by Israeli soldiers in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.
Al Jazeera channel broadcasted footage showcasing the Israeli occupation forces directly firing upon the displaced Palestinians as they moved from Khan Yunis to Rafah.
Netanyahu’s Unwavering Determination To Prolong the War on Gaza
While Israel seeks to leverage the widespread footage to promote the idea that Hamas is behind the suffering of the Palestinian people in the ongoing war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to affirm Israel's persistence in the current war on the Gaza Strip. He recently emphasized that Israel will not settle for anything less than "complete victory over Hamas," necessitating the continuation of the war for several more months.
Reports from the Hebrew press relay statements from both the military and political spheres, suggesting that the ongoing war is anticipated to extend for another year. There are indications that the entirety of 2024 may be designated as a "state of war."
Furthermore, within the occupying state, widespread protests are ongoing in opposition to the government's decision to prolong the current war. This government's determination to sustain the aggression against Gaza is in direct contradiction to the will of the occupying state's citizens, particularly the hostage families.
On January 20, the city of Haifa erupted in protests, demanding an immediate end to the war and the negotiation of a deal with Hamas for the return of the hostages.
Media outlets, including those in Hebrew and Arabic, reported on the families of Israeli hostages who besieged Netanyahu's house in Caesarea, erecting portable tents and spending the night there to protest against the continuation of the war and demand a deal with Hamas that secures the release of the hostages.
Rising Death Toll in Israeli Aggression on Gaza
The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has continued unabated for 115 consecutive days since Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, which targeted Israeli settlements near Gaza.
According to the latest statements from Ashraf Al-Qudra, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, Israeli forces committed 14 massacres against families in Gaza within the past 24 hours, leading to the tragic loss of 215 lives and leaving 300 individuals injured. Al-Qudra further noted that Israeli forces are obstructing ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching the victims buried under rubble and along the roads.
Moreover, Al-Qudra emphasized that Israel's relentless blockade of the Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital has severely impaired the healthcare system's capacity to provide life-saving care to the wounded. The acute shortages of anesthesia drugs, bone stabilizers, and blood units, coupled with the malfunctioning intensive care unit, further exacerbate the dire situation.
Al-Qudra concluded by stating that as of Monday, January 29, the toll of the Israeli aggression had reached 26,637 victims and 65,387 injuries.
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