The ongoing war between the Jewish state and the terrorist organization from Palestine, Hamas has entered its 16th day. Amid this, the Israeli military revealed on Monday (23rd October) that limited ground operations were carried out in the Gaza Strip overnight to combat Palestinian gunmen. It further stated that airstrikes were being targeted at Hamas assembly points.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesperson for the Israeli military, announced in a televised briefing that 222 persons had been held captive during Hamas’s cross-border assault on October 7th.
“Earlier Sunday, one Israeli soldier was killed during a similar raid into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip,” the military said. Israeli troops have been conducting border raids, in order to clear the region and obtain intelligence on missing people and captives held by Hamas in the enclave.
“An IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldier was killed, one was moderately injured, and two were lightly injured as a result of an anti-tank missile launched toward an IDF tank and an engineering vehicle,” the military was further quoted as saying.
Also on Sunday (22nd October), Hamas claimed to have destroyed an Israeli tank and two bulldozers in an ambush east of the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis.
The Palestinian resistance group’s Al-Qassam Brigades said in a brief statement that its ‘fighters’ engaged an armoured Israeli force in a well-prepared ambush to the east of Khan Younis, just moments after it passed the border by a few meters.
Notably, last week, Hamas freed two American captives, Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie. They got back together with their families in Israel and spoke to US President Joe Biden, who was “delighted” that the two were able to get away.
Leaders from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement in which they reaffirmed their strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against the Hamas terror group. Hamas launched a terrorist assault on Israeli territory on 7th October, killing over 1,400 people. The leaders also emphasized the importance of protecting civilian life and complying with international humanitarian law in the ongoing fight.
On October 23, Monday, The New York Times (NYT) published a clarification in which it offered a tepid justification for attributing responsibility for the attack on the Gaza-based Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital last week to Israel. Interestingly, in the ‘clarification’ that came almost 5 days after the news was already debunked as a false claim by IDF, NYT admitted that they relied heavily on Hamas claims on the hospital explosion.
The initial reports “relied too heavily on claims by Hamas, and did not make clear that those claims could not immediately be verified,” it said. “The report left readers with an incorrect impression about what was known and how credible the account was.”
The New York Times has published an editors’ note about its early coverage of an explosion at a hospital in Gaza City. Read the note in full here.https://t.co/v5zQmY0euN
The global media outlet, that had repeatedly and prominently featured Hamas’s claim that the blast last week at Gaza City’s al-Ahli Baptist Hospital was caused by an Israeli airstrike, in its ‘editor’s note’ justified its reportage by continuously reiterating that it had updated its coverage as more information became available on the incident.
“Within two hours, the headline and other text at the top of the website reflected the scope of the explosion and the dispute over responsibility,” the note read.
SS of the editors’ note published by NYT almost 5 days after the Hamas claim was debunked
It, however, did acknowledge that the editors should have exercised more caution given the delicate nature of the news during an escalating war. “Given the sensitive nature of the news during a widening conflict, and the prominent promotion it received, Times editors should have taken more care with the initial presentation, and been more explicit about what information could be verified.,” the note added.
How AltNews’ Mohammad Zubair and global media including The New York Times peddled a terror organisation’s claims
It may be recalled that on October 17, a rocket fell on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza. The local media working in Gaza immediately ran reports based on Hamas’ claims that it was an Israeli rocket, and around 500 people died in it.
However, as more information came to light, it was clear that the hospital’s parking lot took the hit, and the hospital building was intact. Furthermore, it was revealed that the rocket that fell on the hospital was not shot by Israel but by an Iran-backed terrorist organisation, Islamic Jihad, that operates from Gaza.
Initially, media houses like Al Jazeera, the Iranian channel Press TV, and the likes of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair ran propaganda being pushed by Hamas, claiming it was an Israeli rocket. Several global media outlets including The New York Times also ended up peddling the same propaganda.
The New York Times had after the strike on October 17, shared its report and said, “Breaking News: An Israeli airstrike hit a Gaza hospital on Tuesday, killing at least 200 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which said the number of casualties was expected to rise.”
Notably, the next day on October 18, NYT posted an update which read, “At least 500 people were killed by an Israeli airstrike at a Gaza hospital, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. Follow our live coverage.”
The same day, however, in another update the global media outlet did put out the Israeli military version but failed to apologise for misreporting the incident.
The New York Times was, however, not the only global media outlet that had gone on to believe the Hamas version of the incident. Others like Al Jazeera English, The Washington Post, The Associate Press and Reuters believed the terror organisation Hamas and fell into its trap of lies. Interestingly, while most experts were analyzing the hospital explosion footage, comparing geolocations in maps, studying building damage, and trying to verify facts and claims made by Hamas, Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair had a busy day sharing propaganda posts to accuse Israel of the bombing the hospital.
Hamas claims accusing Israel of strike on hospital debunked
On October 17, a rocket fell on a hospital in Gaza, resulting in immediate worldwide outrage. Hamas claimed an Israeli rocket fell on the hospital, killing 500 Palestinians. However, Israel denied any involvement in the attack and said that it was a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) that resulted in civilian casualties.
Officials from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were quick to point out that this was not an Israeli airstrike but rather a misfired rocket from within Gaza. IDF presented aerial photographs as evidence during a press briefing, showing that the damage was primarily concentrated outside the hospital, specifically in the parking lot. It also revealed that Hamas was aware of the misfire, which occurred at around 6:59 PM local time on the same day as the attack on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza.
IDF also highlighted the absence of any crater or structural damage to buildings, which are standard in case of airstrikes. IDF bombings in Gaza have been precision strikes targeted at Hamas infrastructure that demolish the buildings within a few seconds. Also, the parking lot in the hospital showed no signs of a crater, and even delicate structures like clay tile roofing and solar panels were intact.
Despite knowing all of this, Hamas still began a media campaign accusing Israel of being responsible for the incident. While the majority of experts were examining the hospital explosion video, comparing geolocations on maps, examining building damage, and trying to verify the facts and claims made by Hamas, a few assorted Islamists, such as the well-known ‘fact-checker’ Zubair, and these aforementioned global news organizations quickly jumped in to support Hamas’s lies pertaining to the Gaza hospital attack.
OpIndia’s detailed report on the strike at the Gaza hospital can be seen here.
A day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that “more stuff will come out” in reference to the strained India-Canada ties, reports have emerged that India is exploring options to approach the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
A report by The Sunday Guardian has quoted official Indian sources claiming that India will approach the FATF over Canada’s inaction against terror funding operations on its soil despite New Delhi having shared “credible and clinching evidence” with Ottawa.
Citing diplomatic sources, the report said that New Delhi is planning to share a dossier of evidence with the Paris-based watchdog, which oversees the implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The report quoted sources as saying, “Canada acquiescing to India’s demand to reduce its diplomatic strength by 41 is not enough as India’s key concern is about funding and shielding of Khalistanis on Canadian soil,” adding that “diplomats, security and probe agency officials have been asked to collect relevant evidence to be shared with the FATF.”
“With Canada seeking to divert the focus from the core issue of Khalistani elements having a free run on its soil, India has no other option but to report Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s inaction against pro-Khalistan elements in his country to FATF. India is, therefore, planning to collect evidence of terror funding and financing emanating from Canada and present it to FATF,” The Sunday Guardian quoted a person aware of the development.
Diplomatic officials in New Delhi have alleged that the Trudeau government is trying to divert the attention of the global community from the core issue of terror activities by accusing India of escalation and violating the Vienna Convention regarding Canadian diplomatic presence.
On 22nd October, EAM Jaishankar said that India and Canada ties are going through a difficult phase. He said that Canada violated the Vienna convention by not providing security to Indian diplomats, which forced India to stop visa services, as the environment was no longer safe for them.
Speaking about the expulsion of 41 Canadian diplomats from India, Jaishankar said that India had sought diplomatic parity as there were concerns about “continuous interference” in Indian affairs by the Canadian side.
In August, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau disrupted diplomatic relations with India by expelling an Indian diplomat and accusing the Indian government of being involved in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, without any evidence.
India has categorically denied the same and has retaliated by expelling 41 Canadian diplomats from India. Notably, Canada is notorious for sheltering Khalistani terrorists who are wanted by India.
Former Pakistani cricketer, Danish Kaneria, is now being vilified and abused on social media by Islamists residing in Pakistan and by the scores of radicals in India.
His only mistake was that he had asked the senior editor of The Wire, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, to not insult the Indian cricket fans. The ‘journalist announced that she was ashamed of her Indian identity on account of the ‘majoritarianism’ displayed by Indian fans during the 2023 World Cup.
Danish Kaneria, who happens to be the second Hindu to play for Pakistan, thus asked the ‘privileged’ Arfa Khanum Sherwani to migrate to Pakistan if she has issues with her Indian identity.
Come to my country Pakistan if you are feeling ashamed to be an Indian. India doesn’t need people like you.
It was The Wire ‘journalist’ who made it about her Indian identity and how she was ashamed of it. When Danish Kaneria merely gave her a suggestion that would let her live her life without ‘shame’ by going to Pakistan, Arfa Khanum Sherwani resorted to playing the ‘Muslim victim card.’
She first accused him of unleashing an online ‘lynch mob’ against her and that claimed that Danish Kaneria’s comment was rooted in communalism. The propaganda artist alleged that asking an Indian Muslim to ‘go to Pakistan’ is a display of majoritarianism.
Interestingly, Kaneria is a Hindu minority living in Muslim-dominated Pakistan. As such, her suggestion that his tweet reeked of majoritarian in some way was bizarre and devoid of any rationale.
Yes,every word of your tweet was communal. Asking an Indian Muslim to ‘go to Pakistan’ is as communal& majoritarian as asking a Pakistani Hindu to convert to Islam. It is telling the minority people that you don’t belong here or not until you convert to majority religion Got it? https://t.co/n8J5u5OsxL
Arfa Khanum Sherwani, who has never talked about the deplorable plight of Hindus or other religious minorities in Pakistan, drew false equivalence by converting a mere slogan of ‘go to Pakistan’ to actual incidents of forced conversion in the Islamic country.
“Asking an Indian Muslim to ‘go to Pakistan’ is as communal& majoritarian as asking a Pakistani Hindu to convert to Islam. It is telling the minority people that you don’t belong here or not until you convert to majority religion. Got it?” she brazened out.
The Wire ‘journalist’ has conveniently ignored the menace of forced conversion of Hindus to Islam to not alienate her supporters from across the border. However, she was quick to rake up the issue only to perpetuate her false sense of victimhood.
As a matter of fact, Danish Kaneria has been abused on social media for daring to speak up on forced conversion. When he was part of the Pakistan cricket dressing room, he was humiliated and subjected to discrimination for being a Hindu.
This was confirmed by former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar. Danish Kaneria has gone on record to highlight how Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi tried to convert him to Islam.
One could only imagine if a cricketer was subjected to such an ordeal, then, what would be the plight of common Hindus in Islamic Pakistan? Far from empathising with Danish Kaneria, Arfa Khanum Sherwani used the ex-cricketer’s disturbing experience to lecture him about forced conversion.
I am not taking about conversion, majoritarianism, Hindus, Indian Muslims or religion. I am simply talking about your ‘loyalty’. Got it?
Let’s end the debate with single answer — “Just show me a single tweet in which you praised Bharat and its culture.” https://t.co/xtuZ06RL0K
The former Pakistani cricketer did not stoop down to her level and instead challenged the propaganda artist to show a tweet where she displayed her pride for Bharat and its culture.
He emphasised, “I am simply talking about your ‘loyalty’. Got it?Let’s end the debate with single answer — “Just show me a single tweet in which you praised Bharat and its culture.” Arfa Khanum Sherwani has yet to respond to him. Interestingly, she had replied promptly when it came to her ‘religious victim card.’
Usual suspects defend The Wire ‘journalist’
Nonetheless, the leftist-Islamist nexus came to her rescue and character assassinated Danish Kaneria for taking Arfa Khanum Sherwani head-on.
Seema Chisti, an editor at The Wire, claimed, “Like all sensible Indians, Arfa is appalled, and rightly so, by the display of jingoism and petty-mindedness. She does not need to go anywhere else – far from it – many more people here and everywhere else need to call it out – each time when it is not cricket.””
Like all sensible Indians, @khanumarfa is appalled, and rightly so, by the display of jingoism and petty-mindedness.
She does not need to go anywhere else ☺️ – far from it – many more people here and everywhere else need to call it out – each time when it is not cricket. https://t.co/MgQDG4M7Dz
‘Journalist’ Mrinal Pande brazened out, “Arfa Khanum Sherwani is one of our best, winner of the prestigious Chameli Devi Jain award for excellence in reporting. She is rightly incensed by this xenophobic madness. We in the media firmly stand by her.”
@khanumarfa is one of our best, winner of the prestigious Chameli Devi Jain award for excellence in reporting. She is rightly incensed by this xenophobic madness. We in the media firmly stand by her. https://t.co/6I97OlSCz6
Part-time ‘journalist’ claimed that Indians are supporting Danish Kaneria only because Arfa Khanum Sherwani happens to be a ‘Muslim.’ In that way, he lent credence to her perpetual state of victimhood.
Indian right wing in a nutshell:
Supporting an ex cricketer who's trolling a journalist only because she's a Muslim.
It doesn't matter that the ex-cricketer was banned for life for spot fixing.
One more member of the leftist-Islamist nexus alleged that the support for Kaneria from the Indians stemmed from his Hindu identity.
A Pakistani Match Fixer who was banned for life is trolling an Indian Journalist and Indian RW is supporting the Pakistani Spot-fixer. Because the Pakistani the Matchfixer is Hindu and the Indian Journalist is Muslim and for Indian RW, Religion comes before Nation
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi also threw his weight behind The Wire ‘journalist’ and claimed that her tweets was a reflection of India’s unity in diversity.
“This debate for me highlights India’s greatest strength and strategic asset. Our ability to appreciate and defend our pluralism. This is why 1.2 billion people have remained proud and united. Indians will always rise to protect our DNA “unity in diversity’. #MohabbatKiDukan,” he said.
This debate for me highlights India’s greatest strength and strategic asset. Our ability to appreciate and defend our pluralism. This is why 1.2 billion people have remained proud and united. Indians will always rise to protect our DNA “unity in diversity’. #MohabbatKiDukanhttps://t.co/nqesa5h0dV
Mohammed Zubair comes to the rescue of Arfa Khanum Sherwani
Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who has a history of peddling fake news, tried to guilt-trip Danish Kaneria for calling out Arfa Khanum Sherwani’s attempt to shame Indian cricket fans.
He shared a 5-year-old video of Kaneria confessing to the 2009 Essex spot-fixing scandal in the hopes of character-assassinating Kaneria. Zubair has been involved in viciously defending rabid Islamists and unleashing his online lynch mob against Hindus.
A classic case of his dog whistling and brazen propaganda was the Nupur Sharma controversy of May 2022. The ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma found herself at the centre of a raging storm after Islamists, egged on by the likes of AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, issued multiple threats against her and her family for expressing her views on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.
Now that Danish Kaneria is trending. Here is his old (2018) confession video of his Match Fixing involvement in England. pic.twitter.com/ckbNDQIHI6
Sharma was part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery. Islamists had claimed that the Shivling discovered inside the wuzukhana of the Gyanvapi disputed structure was not a Shivling but a fountain.
Across social media platforms, detractors had repeated ad nauseam that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi premises was a fountain and not an idol of a Hindu God. In response to the contempt and scorn poured over Hindu Gods and Goddesses, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma asked them to refrain from insulting Hindu Gods and cited Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran for substantiating her remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.
Zubair shared an incomplete video of the debate, touching off Sar Tan Se Juda protests all over the country. While Islamists went on a rampage on the streets in many cities across the country, it was essentially Mohammed Zubair who was responsible for kindling a fire that had gone on to assume uncontrollable proportions.
It was Zubair’s dog-whistling that made a mountain out of a molehill and painted a target behind the back of Nupur Sharma and anyone and everyone who came out in her support. The ominous hounding of Nupur Sharma prompted many to extend their support to her.
Arfa Khanum Sherwani and her ‘loyalty’ to India
At the heart of this online spat between a former Pakistani cricketer and an Indian ‘journalist’ was the latter’s tirade against her Indian identity.
While she could have limited her rant to Indian cricket fans, she extended it to her identity as an Indian. “Deplorable behaviour of many cricket fans during World Cup matches, makes me feel embarrassed &ashamed as an Indian,” Arfa Khanum Sherwani tweeted on Sunday (22nd October).
Deplorable behaviour of many cricket fans during World Cup matches, makes me feel embarrassed &ashamed as an Indian. This petty, insecure & majoritarian approach towards sports which was meant to bring people together, is symbolic of India Modi-RSS have created in last one decade
And it wasn’t the first time when Arfa Khanum Sherwani expressed shame about being an Indian to further her political agenda.
In October 2021, she claimed, “Every time I think of Siddique Kappan, I feel ashamed as an Indian and as a journalist. Today marks one year since he has been incarcerated on charges of sedition. He was booked under UAPA – a terror law. He is paying the price of being honest, being a journalist and a Muslim.”
Every time I think of #SiddiqueKappan, I feel ashamed as an Indian and as a journalist.
Today marks one year since he has been incarcerated on charges of sedition. He was booked under UAPA-a terror law.
He is paying the price of being honest, being a journalist and a Muslim.
In December 2018, the propaganda artist dubbed the patriotic slogan of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ as ‘communal’ and majoritarian slogan. This has prompted Danish Kaneria to question her loyalty to India and its culture.
Screengrab of the tweet by Arfa Khanum Sherwani
Despite being discriminated against by his countrymen for the virtue of being a Hindu and pressured into converting to Islam, Danish Kaneria’s loyalty lies with Pakistan. Far from being ashamed of his national identity, he is rather proud of it.
“Valid point. I was born in Pakistan, played for Pakistan and proud to be a Pakistani. Some cheap people discriminated against me, but I can’t blame all for this. I can’t abuse my country. Yes, if anything goes wrong with my community I will keep raising voice for them,” he added.
Valid point.
I was born in Pakistan, played for Pakistan and proud to be a Pakistani. Some cheap people discriminated against me, but I can’t blame all for this. I can’t abuse my country.
Yes, If anything goes wrong with my community I will keep raising voice for them. https://t.co/HSMF5BjfrE
The same cannot be said about Arfa Khanum Sherwani. She is yet to respond to the challenge by Danish Kaneria. Instead, the tweets by Arfa Khnaum Sherwani, attacking her national identity and chants of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, are there for everyone to see.
As such, the suggestion by the former Pakistani cricketer to The Wire ‘journalist; to migrate to Pakistan is in fact a testament to her dwindling and questionable ‘loyalty’ to India.
Pakistani Hindu had to brave ‘majoritarian’ lesson from privileged Indian Muslim
As evident from the entire discourse on social media, a Hindu can never truly be a victim in the eyes of an Islamist.
A Hindu minority in Pakistan such as Danish Kaneria, who is subjected to discrimination on an everyday basis, is being given lessons in ‘majoritarianism’ and ‘communalism’ by a privileged, well-to-do Arfa Khanum Sherwani.
Her ridiculous defence on social media came at the expense of downplaying the real-life atrocities committed by the Hindus in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Despite this, the leftist-Islamist nexus did not waste any time and came to her rescue.
I am 200 percent sure, you won't leave India, where would an Ashraf Muslim woman would get such privilege to play victim while abusing the nation. https://t.co/aH0Y1wjUJH
Despite her privileged life in India, Arfa Khanum Sherwani’s social media identity is based on a false and inflated sense of victimhood. She has indeed been successful in using her Indian identity as bait for political posturing with little to no consequences.
On 23rd October (Monday), United Kingdom (UK) Home Secretary Suella Braverman will sit for a meeting with Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley to discuss ways to counter growing anti-semitism in the country and the law and order situation. As per British media, during the scheduled meeting, Braverman will seek answers from Metropolitan Police Chief Rowley regarding the force’s decision not to arrest pro-Palestine protesters calling for “jihad” against Israel.
A source close to the Home Secretary shared details regarding the scheduled meeting between the two. According to the source, Met Chief is expected to highlight problems in the existing laws that make it difficult – under both public order and terrorism legislation – to prosecute such calls for jihad.
On her part, Suella Braverman would use the meeting to question the Met Chief regarding his views on his force’s response to Saturday’s incident, UK media reported citing the source. The Home Secretary would also emphasise that there is no place for incitement to hatred and direct the forces to crack down on such violators.
The source said, “There can be no place for incitement to hatred or violence on Britain’s streets and, as the home secretary has made clear, the police are urged to crack down on anyone breaking the law.”
The Met Police defended the calls for Jihad against Israel saying Jihad has many meanings
Notably, the Metropolitan Police downplayed open calls for jihad which were raised by Hamas supporters in Central London during a protest on 21st October (Saturday). Instead of taking cognisance of the matter, the UK’s Metropolitan Police came out in defence of the Islamists and said that calls for jihad against Israel had nothing to do with terrorism.
In a contentious tweet, the Met Police said, “The word jihad has a number of meanings but we know the public will most commonly associate it with terrorism.” It added that they have specialist counter-terrorism officers who have domain knowledge. These officers assessed the video, filmed at the Hizb ut-Tahrir protest in central London, and did not identify any offences arising from the specific clip.
The Met Police didn’t identify any offences in banners that referred to Islamic armies. It added that “jihad” has “a number of meanings” while “there are varying interpretations” of what “Muslim armies” can refer to.
Chants of Jihad at such protests amount to incitement to terrorist violence, says UK’s Immigration Minister
Speaking to LBC, UK’s Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick noted that the Met’s conclusion over the chants of “jihad” during a pro-Palestine protest in London was “surprising”.
Jenrick asserted that the government would speak to the force about the protest led by Hizb ut-Tahrir that took place in Central London on Saturday, in addition to the main pro-Palestine protest, held the same day.
Speaking to LBC’s Andrew Castle on 22nd October, Jenrick said, “I think a lot of people would find the Metropolitan Police analysis surprising and that’s something we intend to raise with them and to discuss this incident with them.”
He emphasised that the chants of Jihad are totally unacceptable and there can be no place for such slogans. He added that such chants in these protests are “an incitement to terrorist violence”.
Jenrick further added, “I don’t think that there’s any place for chants of ‘jihad’ on the streets of Britain, I think that’s totally unacceptable. In the context that was said yesterday, from what I’ve seen, that is an incitement to terrorist violence.”
He, however, said that the ultimate decision rests with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service on whether to take action or not.
On Saturday (21st October), the Metropolitan Police estimated that up to 100,000 people gathered in central London to show solidarity with Palestinian civilians. However, the chants of ‘Jihad’ against Israel were made in a separate protest on the same day.
During the controversial protest, an Islamist was heard asking in viral videos, “What is the solution to liberate people from the concentration camp called Palestine?” The mob of Hamas supporters cheered in unison, “Jihad, Jihad, Jihad.”
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.
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.
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.
1) Many have misconstrued this tweet as an apology for Hamas. It isn't; the tweet immediately follows one in which I highlight the fact that Hamas burned families alive. I recently wrote a piece expressing my moral revulsion at leftwing apologias for Hamas https://t.co/nnaqXoSdxjhttps://t.co/YEmc4Q8cXYpic.twitter.com/TSLXhjue1e
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.
On Monday, October 23, a video went viral on social media showing a broad daylight theft in Bengaluru, Karnataka. In an incident that happened on Friday, October 20, two bike-borne thieves smashed the window of a parked BMW car and stole Rs 13.75 lakh from inside the car.
The theft that happened in broad daylight, depicting the lack of fear of law and order in the Congress-ruled state, was captured by a surveillance camera, which has now gone viral on social media.
In the video, a man in a brown checked shirt and jeans is seen smashing the window of a BMW X5 car and gaining access while his accomplice, who appears in a white shirt, waits on a motorcycle. The miscreant who broke the window then slips into the car and takes out two bags containing the money. He then gets on the motorcycle and the duo then flee the scene with the money.
From the video, it appears as if the miscreants were aware of the cash lying in the car.
Surprisingly, on the other side of the car, you can see some locals standing only a few meters away from the car, waiting for public transport, but still nobody notices the robbery happening.
According to the Times Now, the incident reportedly took place near the sub-registrar’s office in Sompura, Sarjapur. The car belonged to Babu, a resident of Anekal Taluk in Bengaluru.
After the video of the incident went viral, a case was filed at the Sarjapur Police Station and the police are on the lookout for the accused.
On Sunday (22nd October), the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which is very well known for spreading disinformation, published a video sharing basic facts about how to spot disinformation on social media. The video said that after the terrorist organisation Hamas from Palestine attacked the Jewish state, several videos could be seen on social media that attempted to spread disinformation regarding the attack.
“The conflict between Israel and Gaza has been full of claims and counterclaims from both sides about what is happening on the ground. Those claims have been turbocharged by social media, which has been flooded with pictures and videos. There’s lots of misleading and false information, and conspiracy theories too,” said Marianna Spring who claims to be the disinformation and social media correspondent at BBC.
Interestingly, the BBC has been notorious for sharing fake information and fake news. In the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, BBC had spread misinformation by claiming that Israeli airstrike was responsible for the rocket attack at the Gaza hospital in which the initial reports claimed that around 500 people had died.
The BBC later admitted that one of its live air correspondents incorrectly suspected that the rocket attack on a Gaza hospital was the result of an Israeli airstrike.
“We accept that even in this fast-moving situation it was wrong to speculate in this way, although he did not at any point report that it was an Israeli strike,” the corporation wrote on its page amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
During early live reporting from Israel on what was reported to be a deadly explosion, BBC correspondent Jon Donnison speculated that Israel’s forces were to blame. He reported, “It’s hard to see what else this could be really, given the size of the explosion, other than an Israeli airstrike or several airstrikes.”
An independent evaluation has since established that a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket misfired and struck the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza.
On 17th October, a rocket fell on a hospital in Gaza, resulting in immediate worldwide outrage. Hamas claimed an Israeli rocket fell on the hospital, killing 500 Palestinians. However, officials from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were quick to point out that this was not an Israeli airstrike but rather a misfired rocket from within Gaza. They revealed that Hamas was aware of the misfire, which occurred at around 6:59 PM local time on the same day as the attack on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza. Despite this knowledge, Hamas still launched a media campaign blaming Israel for the incident.
The IDF presented aerial photographs as evidence during a press briefing, showing that the damage was primarily concentrated outside the hospital, specifically in the parking lot. They also showcased pictures of the hospital’s scorched parking lot and explained that this damage was caused by the rocket’s impact and the large amount of rocket fuel present in the projectile when it fell short of its intended target.
The BBC has already been under fire for refusing to name Hamas as a terrorist organisation, despite the fact that it is marked as such by the UK, the US, the EU, and Israel. Earlier, the BBC had defended its stand on not calling Hamas a terrorist organisation saying that calling someone a terrorist would mean taking sides.
Since Hamas terrorists unleashed a wave of strikes along Israel’s border with Gaza on 7th October, thousands have been killed in Israel. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the BBC in London on October 16th evening, demanding that the corporation name Hamas as terrorists.
7th October denial is the new Holocaust denial, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy announced in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Levy said that the world is witnessing a Holocaust denial-like phenomenon unfolding in real time.
In view of the same, Israel has begun to screen raw and unedited footage of Hamas’ terrorist attack which was obtained from the body cams of the terrorists who were eliminated by the Israeli forces following the attack. The footage is being released in a bid to counter the 7th October attack denial and will be shared with foreign media.
We are witnessing a Holocaust denial-like phenomenon unfolding in real time.
So tomorrow, Israel will screen for foreign journalists the raw, unedited footage of Hamas’ atrocities in the October 7 Massacre, as captured by its death squads’ body cams. pic.twitter.com/wm7rjuvFsn
He said, “Since the October 7th massacre the IDF has been collecting footage from body cams taken by the Hamas death squads as they rampaged through the communities in southern Israel butchering everyone in sight. Now, unfortunately, and I can’t believe I am saying this and I can’t believe that we as a country are having to do this as we work to defeat the terror organisation that brutalised our people, we are witnessing a Holocaust denial-like phenomenon evolving in real-time, as people are casting doubt on the magnitude of the atrocities that Hamas committed against our people and, in fact, recorded in order to glorify that violence.”
“Therefore tomorrow, the Government Press Office will screen for foreign media gruesome and as yet unseen footage of the barbarities perpetrated against our people on October 7th. This is footage that has not been made public. It will screen a compilation of raw and unedited footage from the October 7th massacre for journalists who can stomach the horrific truth and want to report on what they saw,” the Israeli government spokesperson said.
Levy was quoted by The Telegraph as saying, “People are casting doubt on the magnitude of the atrocities that Hamas committed against our people and, in fact, recorded in order to glorify that violence.”
The decision by the Israeli government to screen the raw footage of the massacre by Hamas comes in the wake of several prominent personalities as well as global organisations putting the onus of a ceasefire on Israel even as it lost more than 1,400 of its people to the 7th October carnage; more than 200 people are still missing.
So-called climate activist Greta Thunberg has called on Israel to ceasefire and has declared her solidarity with Gaza and Palestine. In a counter to the same, a video was released by Eylon Levy showing footage from the brutal attacks on Israeli homes and families by Hamas with a voiceover of Thunberg’s famous “How dare you?” speech.
Protests by terrorist sympathisers across several countries have normalised anti-semitic hatred and demonstrations including in the West. Parallely, several media groups and international institutions including the UN that have been calling for a ceasefire have encouraged critics of Israel to downplay the 7th October attacks on Israel.
Social media and mainstream media channels are raging with debates about the proportion of civilians killed in Gaza in Israel’s retaliation to Hamas. In doing so, the terrorist group is getting a free pass while it uses civilians as human shields and continues to use residential infrastructure to attack Israel.
Even after being openly humiliated by the Congress party, the Samajwadi Party is still optimistic that the I.N.D.I. bloc will agree to choose Akhilesh Yadav to represent them as their candidate for prime minister for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. This was evident by the numerous posters that have emerged in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow showing Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav as the future prime minister of India.
The posters were put up outside the Samajwadi Party headquarters in Lucknow by the party workers.
UP: Posters portraying Akhilesh Yadav as "future PM" put up in Lucknow
SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand said that while Akhilesh Yadav’s birthday is on July 1, party workers celebrate his birthday multiple times to express their love and respect. “Today, some party leaders and workers are celebrating his birthday and are praying that Akhilesh Yadav becomes the PM of the country and serves the people…” he added.
#WATCH | Lucknow, UP: On posters of Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav symbolising him as the 'Future PM' outside the Samajwadi Party Office, Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand says, "Akhilesh Yadav's birthday is on July 1, but to express their love and respect towards… https://t.co/ATyMB71VkSpic.twitter.com/SdoAfu9USi
The BJP, meanwhile, retorted to the development by asserting that everyone has the right to dream. “There is a saying, ‘Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne’. Nobody can stop anyone from daydreaming. But one should dream as per one’s capability. Under PM Modi’s leadership, our country is going ahead on the path of development. People of the country trust PM Modi and the country will definitely elect PM Modi as the PM for the third time,” said BJP leader and Minister in the UP Government Danish Azad Ansari.
Akhilesh Yadav warns about the future of alliance after Congress’ refusal to share seats with SP in MP polls
The posters have come at a time when the rift between the Congress party and Samajwadi Party, the two most important members of the I.N.D.I. bloc, an unholy nexus of 28 political parties formed solely with the aim to defeat the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, is at its peak, with Akhilesh Yadav warning about the future of alliance after Congress’ refusal to share seats with them in Madhya Pradesh polls.
Akhilesh Yadav, the head of the Samajwadi Party and a key figure in the I.N.D.I. alliance, recently said that he would not have gone to any meetings if he had known that there was no state-level cooperation between his party and the Congress. The rage surfaced after his party was utterly disregarded in the impending Madhya Pradesh assembly election, which is set to take place next month. Never mind the promised six seats, the Samajwadi Party was not even assigned a single seat, leaving Akhilesh Yadav belittled and infuriated.
He noted, “A former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh asked us about our performance in the state. We told him how many seats we had won and when as well as in which seats we stood at number two. We had a comprehensive discussion. They woke up Samajwadi Party leaders even at 1 a.m. They assured us six seats. However, when the lists were announced, there were zero seats for the Samajwadi Party.”
Angered by the betrayal by the Congress party, the Samajwadi Party announced to contest the elections on its own and has fielded its candidates in as many as 31 seats.
The two parties have been in strife for the past few days, particularly since Ajay Rai, the president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress requested the Samajwadi Party to withdraw from Madhya Pradesh as it “did not have a base” there. He claimed that the battle had always been between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. He added insult to injury and pointed out that the party won only one seat in 2018 and that its sole MLA in the state assembly had later switched to the latter.
Rift within I.N.D.I. Alliance
Not only Congress and Samajwadi Party but several other members of the I.N.D.I. alliance have been at loggerheads since they forged a united front with the sole aim of defeating BJP in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Both in Delhi and Punjab, the Congress Party and the Aam Aadmi Party are at odds with one another. Their leaders frequently engage in personal attacks on one another.
In West Bengal, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress are at odds, with WB CM Mamata Banerjee, a significant alliance proponent, accusing the Bengal Congress of being too lenient towards the BJP.
Nitish Kumar, another key player in the alliance, also seems unhappy with the arrangement, as he reportedly feels that he has not been given a significant role.
Another setback for the I.N.D.I alliance came when the CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri emphatically dismissed any coalition with Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. The left parties declared their intention to take on both the TMC and the BJP. This emphasized the bitter ideological struggle and ongoing conflict between the left and TMC in Bengal, making any potential alliance implausible.
Given the level of hostility and animosity the so-called allies have for one another, it is improbable that the I.N.D.I Alliance can come up with a viable challenge to the current ruling dispensation.
