On 22nd October, New York Magazine reporter Eric Levitz said he “overstated” that Hamas beheaded the Jewish babies. He further added that he should have said “found headless” instead.
He quoted a post on X detailing the Forensic Pathology Center’s findings about the Hamas’ atrocities on the people of Israel during the 7th October terrorist attack. The report quoted Dr Chen Kugel, head of the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, who said it was difficult to assert if the Hamas terrorists beheaded the babies or RPG blew off their heads.
Taking the report into consideration, Levitz wrote, “Last night, I asserted that this report indicated that babies were beheaded. This was an overstatement. I should have said that the report established that babies were found headless, a fact that lends plausibility to claims of beheading but which does not prove them.”
His statement blew up on social media as people saw it as an attempt to water down Hamas’ atrocities. Levitz then wrote a thread on X explaining what he “actually meant”. He claimed that his post was misunderstood as an apology for Hamas. He said it was not an apology for Hamas, but he tried highlighting the terrorist group’s violent actions. He expressed his so-called moral repulsion towards those who support Hamas within leftist circles.
He also addressed a controversy about whether Hamas beheaded infants, arguing that the method of killing was irrelevant as all such acts were morally reprehensible. He suggested a forensic report confirming beheadings but later corrected this, stating the report couldn’t determine this conclusively.
He claimed that his goal was to ensure accurate reporting and prevent misinformation that might downplay the severity of certain attacks. They stress that it’s essential to focus on the tragic loss of innocent lives and represent the forensic findings accurately.
However, in an attempt to explain himself, he further tied a knot around his narrative as it appeared as if he was emphasising that Hamas did not behead the babies during a terrorist attack in Israel. It was a fact that dead bodies, including babies, were found decapitated, mutilated, tied and burnt across the region where Hamas terrorists attacked. In the forensic findings report, the doctors categorically said they could not assert the reason behind the decapitation. However, in the end, the babies’ heads were separated from the torso, irrespective of how it happened.
Israel Hamas war
On 7th October, hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with over 5,000 rockets in a matter of few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza. In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, thousands have been reportedly killed in the Israel-Hamas war. The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,400, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza, restricting power and water supply and blocking essential goods from entering the region. Over 400,000 Gaza residents were evacuated. India has launched its own Operation Ajay to evacuate Indians from Israel during this conflict.