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Media Says ‘IDF Targets Kids,’ But Ignores Realities of Fighting Hamas

Channa Rifkin

Palestinian terrorists and members of the Red Cross gather near vehicles on the day Hamas hands over deceased hostages Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas, and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas, seized during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack, to the Red Cross, as part of a ceasefire and hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, “the IDF is targeting children” has been a media narrative — or rather, a Hamas narrative.

The New York Times’ exposé “65 Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics: What We Saw in Gaza” and the BBC’s investigative report “Two girls shot in Gaza…” are just a couple of the grotesque displays of bias. Evidence of Hamas’ responsibility is often doubted or dismissed, while in a narrative such as the BBC’s case, the blame is placed solely on Israel and its “lack of accountability.”

Basics of Guerrilla-Style Urban Warfare in Gaza

Urban guerrilla warfare differs significantly from conventional urban warfare. Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow and Editor of Foundation for Defense of Democracy’s (FDD) Long War Journal, told HonestReporting that Israel’s real challenge with Hamas “is [that they’re] fighting out of uniform, and they’re fighting from places like mosques, schools, and hospitals.” He says that while civilian casualties are always unavoidable in war, enemies like Hamas hiding and operating among them make it “far more complicated.”

In guerrilla warfare, the rules of engagement, or how soldiers are meant to act on suspicious activity, can become murky. With challenges that militaries like the IDF encounter on the battlefield while maneuvering or stationing in Gaza, reports of civilians and even children being injured or killed have flooded the media and heavily influenced the global understanding of the conflict. The problem? Average consumers don’t understand realities on the ground.

Roggio discusses the breakdown of rules of engagement in the chaos of a guerrilla-style environment:

You can’t shoot someone just because they’re on a rooftop with a radio…. But then [you] started finding out that kid was a spotter or a lookout, or they’re being used to run ammunition during firefights, or women were being used in the same way, or even as suicide bombers in cases. So restrictive rules of engagement, once the enemy is aware, they take advantage of this.

Not to mention, military-aged males aged 16 through 20 are still considered children, he reminds us. The media report on children being shot, but Hamas doesn’t distinguish between terrorists and civilians in its death toll. This only serves to bolster terrorist propaganda further.

The press, international community, and NGOs often misunderstand the realities of warfare, says Roggio. His war reporting and military experience give him the insight to assess it. He uses the 2004 U.S. drone strikes on Al-Qaeda in Pakistan, where the terrorist to civilian ratio was calculated to 1:1 or 2:1, as another example.

The US receives so much criticism for this, but it’s a misunderstanding of war…sometimes I think it’s an intentional misunderstanding, or I guess that wouldn’t be a misunderstanding. It’s an intentional ignorance.

Then, they treat figures and statements from terror groups, or in Hamas’ case, “ministries”, with credibility. Herein lies one of the biggest issues: buying propaganda and leaving out important context that misleads the audience.

The BBC’s population correspondent, Stephanie Hegarty, took it upon herself to step out of her regular scheduled programming to “investigate” two killings of little Gazan girls in November 2023 – the early days of the war.

Hegarty concluded that, based on geolocation estimates by the BBC, the IDF could have been responsible for the tragic deaths of Layan al-Majdalawi and Mira Tanboura. The logic is that where there is IDF presence, Gazans are killed. Therefore, the IDF must have killed them.

But the IDF is hunting down Hamas terrorists, not young girls. Hegarty doesn’t acknowledge the possibility that Hamas were there too, and in a guerrilla urban war zone. There’s no mention of the possibility that they were caught in crossfire, killed by Hamas, or suspected to be a threat by the IDF.

Though identifying Hamas isn’t always obvious, this doesn’t serve Hegarty’s narrative, so she ignores it.

And naturally, a concerted effort to expose the IDF as a vile, genocidal military is initiated. All context goes out the window. Just the IDF’s supposed “lack of accountability” remains.

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The reservist she interviews explains IDF rules of engagement – but Hegarty frames it as though Israel systematically targets kids. She skips over the chaos of urban warfare, and how impossible it is to ID combatants when Hamas wears no uniform. pic.twitter.com/CMnMVuyiDk

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) August 6, 2025

“K,” an anonymous IDF reservist, gives Hegarty the soundbite she wants, so she doesn’t bother exploring the context behind K’s “F***k it. Destroy everything” statement on IDF commanders’ orders for rules of engagement.

Although the war in Gaza is complicated, it’s easy to provide viewers with a fuller picture.

Same Narrative, Different Scenario

The same goes for Palestinians killed seeking humanitarian aid. The Washington Post’s article, “Doctors detail the daily deluge of Gazans shot while seeking food,” presents doctors’ accounts of mass casualty events in Gaza hospitals. The writers work to imply that shootings are systematic and only mention IDF troops’ presence, and their admission to firing warning shots.

No mention of Hamas, even though there is plenty of video evidence of Hamas stealing from aid convoys, and accounts of Hamas and other gangs beating or shooting Palestinians trying to get aid. But there was also no context to the IDF firing at or around those who pass their “military positions.”

Witnesses say Israeli troops have frequently shot at people who pass near military positions while approaching aid sites or who throng relief convoys.

There are clear instructions on pathways and times for aid seekers. It’s fair to assume that anyone stepping out of that zone, especially in Gaza’s environment, could be considered suspicious by the IDF and its soldiers who are having to constantly be aware of the possibility of an attack on their positions at any moment. An unfortunate reality created by the terrorists who continue to operate among the civilian population.

The Washington Post includes the issue of child casualties:

The trek to GHF distribution points is frequently long and arduous, so Palestinian families often send their most able — usually teenage boys and young men. But with tens of thousands of Palestinians having been killed and maimed during Israel’s military operations in Gaza, not every family has that choice. The Red Cross says its doctors have treated women and toddlers for gunshot wounds, too.

Again, urban war zones are chaotic. It’s not always clear what is happening. But medical workers can only explain the injuries and describe the patients they have treated.

Nonetheless, that’s precisely the reason why the media need to lay all the information out on the table, instead of presenting a pre-framed story that leads media consumers to adopt whatever agenda the journalist promotes.

The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.

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Netanyahu Criticizes Nation-Wide Strike That ‘Strengthens Hamas’

i24 News and Algemeiner Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS

 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday harshly criticized nationwide demonstrations calling for the release of hostages and an end to the Gaza war.

Speaking at a government meeting, Netanyahu argued that such protests only strengthen Hamas and risk repeating the atrocities of October 7.

“Those who call today for an end to Hamas’s war not only harden the terrorist group’s position and delay the release of our hostages, but also guarantee that the horrors of October 7 will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister defended Israel’s ongoing military operations, citing strikes carried out in recent days: “In the last 24 hours, the navy attacked power stations in Yemen, IDF soldiers struck Zeitoun and eliminated dozens of terrorists in Gaza, and the air force targeted Hezbollah commanders and launch sites in Lebanon.”

He added that Israel’s response in Lebanon was consistent with the ceasefire agreement: “According to this agreement, we will meet with fire any violation and any attempt to arm Hezbollah.”

Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s conditions for ending the conflict, stressing the need for continued security control in Gaza and the group’s long-term demilitarization. He rejected Hamas’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal: “They want us to leave Gaza entirely — from the north, the south, the Philadelphi corridor, and the security perimeter. That would only allow them to reorganize, rearm, and attack us again.”

The war has now entered its 681st day, with 49 hostages still held by Hamas.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike organized by the Hostage Families Forum, calling for the return of all captives in a single deal and for an end to the war. Demonstrations spread across the country, at major intersections, government ministers’ homes, and familiar protest hubs such as Kaplan Junction and the Ayalon highways.

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Amerykański antysemityzm

Stanisław Obirek

Z pewnym zaskoczeniem odkryłem nieznana mi twarz amerykańskiego antysemityzmu katolickiego. Stało się to za sprawą wydanej w 2024 roku książki młodego historyka Davida Austina Walsha “Taking America Back. The Conservative Movement and the far right”, (Odzyskać Amerykę. Ruch konserwatywny i skrajna prawica). To świetnie i żywo odmalowany fresk niezwykle skomplikowanego ideologicznie stanu umysłu amerykańskich konserwatystów, z których wielu dość otwarcie flirtowało z faszyzmem i antysemityzmem. Niektóre z „gwiazd” skrajnej prawicy głoszą poglądy, które urągają zdrowemu rozsądkowi, jak chociażby Marjorie Taylor Greene, która twierdziła, że laser kosmiczny kontrolowany przez Żydów wywołuje pożary na amerykańskim Zachodzie, czy George Santos, patologiczny kłamca, który między innymi fałszywie twierdził, że jest potomkiem ocalałych z Holokaustu i wielokrotnie publikował antysemickie komentarze na swoich kontach w mediach społecznościowych. Ten drugi odsiaduje właśnie karę siedmiu lat więzienia za oszustwa bankowe i kradzież tożsamości. Walsh swoje wywody kończy na niesławnej pamięci szturmie 6 stycznia 2021 roku na Kapitol.

To po tym ataku amerykański nestor badań nad faszyzmem Robert Paxton przestał mieć wątpliwości – Trump i trumpizm to jego zdaniem kolejna odsłona faszyzmu. Jak napisał 11 stycznia 2021 roku na łamach Newsweeka: „Podżeganie Trumpa do inwazji na Kapitol 6 stycznia 2021 roku usuwa mój sprzeciw wobec etykietki faszysty. Jego otwarte nawoływanie do przemocy obywatelskiej w celu unieważnienia wyborów przekracza granicę. Etykieta ta wydaje się teraz nie tylko akceptowalna, ale wręcz konieczna”. Zaraz po tym Paxton dodał słowa, które wydają się dzisiaj wręcz prorocze: „Pomimo obiecujących początkowych sygnałów i względnej stabilności amerykańskich instytucji, jest zbyt wcześnie, aby odpowiedzialny historyk mógł stwierdzić, czy uda się utrzymać naszą republikę w lepszym stanie niż europejskim przywódcom udało się obronić swoje”. Komentarz Paxtona jest ciekawy również z tego względu, że jego książki poświęcone kolaboracyjnego reżimowi Vichy odsłoniły Francuzom głębię antysemickiej tradycji i powszechność faszystowskich sympatii ich społeczeństwa. Jednak od tamtego czasu wydarzyło się tak wiele i pojawiły się nowe odsłony zarówno faszyzmu jak i antysemityzmu, że zapewne David Austin Walsh zgromadził sporo materiału na kolejny tom historii skrajnej prawicy i jej związków z faszyzmem i antysemityzmem.

Niecierpliwie oczekując tej nowej publikacji pozwolę sobie wspomnieć o dwóch nowych ”gwiazdach” amerykańskiej sceny publicznej. Nie mówię o scenie politycznej, bo obaj panowie jak dotąd odznaczyli się robieniem dużej wrzawy wokół siebie bez zauważalnych sukcesów politycznych. Choć kto wie, czy takowych nie odniosą w przyszłości. Wszak obaj są młodzi, gorliwi i chętnie mówią i piszą o swoim katolicyzmie, choć rozumianym dość osobliwie. Jak wiadomo katolicy robią w ostatnich latach wręcz polityczną furorę zajmując wiele kluczowych stanowisk w administracji Trumpa. Nick Fuentes ma 26 lat i już bardzo bogatą biografię, w tym medialnie nagłośnione spotkanie z oczekującym na drugą kadencję prezydencką Donaldem Trumpem w 2022 roku. Oprócz przyznawania się do katolicyzmu Fuentes jest białym supremacjonistą, antysemitą i negacjonistą Holocaustu.

Jeszcze barwniejsza postacią jest 24 letni Kyle Langford, który właśnie ogłosił chęć startowania w 2026 roku w wyborach na gubernatora Kalifornii. Całkowicie podziela poglądy starszego kolegi, jednak wzbogacił je o elementy, które już przyniosły mu rozpoznawalność. W ramach promocji swojej kandydatury umieścił swoje zdjęcie na tle bramy obozu w Auschwitz deklarując, że tak zamierza rozwiązać problem bezrobocia i bezdomności w Kalifornii. Dopytywany przez dziennikarzy całkiem serio tłumaczył, że Auschwitz to żaden obóz śmierci dla miliona Żydów, tylko właśnie znakomicie zorganizowany obóz pracy i że on sam jest dumny ze swoich niemieckich przodków. Portal National Catholic Reporter dopytywał współwyznawcę o jego poglądy i o zdjęcie, które stało się powodem międzynarodowego zgorszenia, na co Kyle Langford z prostotą odpowiedział, że „jego niemieccy przodkowie uśmiechają się do niego”. Opisał Auschwitz-Birkenau jako „piękny obóz pracy” i zapewnił, że nie żartuje, mówiąc o wysyłaniu bezdomnych i bezrobotnych do podobnego ośrodka. Langford powiedział NCR, że odrzuca narrację, jakoby Auschwitz-Birkenau był obozem zagłady. Pochwalił również nazistowskie Niemcy za to, że miały „uporządkowane” społeczeństwo: „Byli dumni z tego, kim byli”.

Dziś rozpoczynamy nowy rozdział w historii urzędu prezydenta, który obejmuje kolejny nominat Jarosława Kaczyńskiego. Jerzy Baczyński, naczelny Polityki, napisał, że Dudę żegnamy bez żalu, a Nawrockiego witamy bez nadziei. W pełni podzielam to odczucie i zapewne jeszcze nie raz przekonamy się o jego zasadności. Tak wiec my mamy naszego Grzegorza Brauna, który całkiem serio powątpiewa w istnienie komór gazowych, a Amerykanie mają Kyle Langforda, który – jak na razie – ma tylko 2 procent zwolenników, ale kto wie, co przyniesie przyszłość.

Stanisław Obirek
(ur. 21 sierpnia 1956 w Tomaszowie Lubelskim) – teolog,
historyk, antropolog kultury, profesor nauk humanistycznych, profesor zwyczajny Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, były jezuita.

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Olive Tree Honoring Murdered Jew Ilan Halimi Cut Down in France, Sparking Outrage Amid Rising Antisemitism

Ailin Vilches Arguello

A crowd gathers at the Jardin Ilan Halimi in Paris on Feb. 14, 2021, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Halimi’s kidnapping and murder. Photo: Reuters/Xose Bouzas/Hans Lucas

An olive tree planted in memory of a young French Jewish man tortured to death in 2006 was vandalized and cut down this week, sparking outrage in France amid a troubling surge in antisemitic attacks.

In January 2006, Ilan Halimi was abducted, held captive, and tortured by a gang of about 20 people in a low-income housing estate in the Paris suburb of Bagneux.

Three weeks later, Halimi was found in Essonne, south of Paris, naked, gagged, and handcuffed, with clear signs of torture and burns. The 23-year-old died on the way to the hospital.

In 2011, an olive tree was planted in Halimi’s memory. On Friday, this memorial was found felled — probably with a chainsaw — in the northern Paris suburb of Epinay-sur-Seine.

Halimi’s memory has faced attacks before, with two other trees planted in his honor vandalized in 2019 in Essonne, where he was found dying near a railway track.

French officials have pledged to plant a new tree following the latest attack, which has drawn condemnation from the country’s local Jewish community amid a troubling rise in antisemitic acts.

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the incident, vowing that the perpetrators will be brought to justice while affirming that France’s fight against antisemitism will remain “uncompromising.”

“Felling the tree in honor of Ilan Halimi is a second attempt on his life. This will not happen: the nation will not forget this son of France who died for being Jewish,” the French leader said in a post on X.

Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the incident, with Paris police confirming that inquiries are underway.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou denounced the incident, calling the tree “a living bulwark against oblivion.”

“The never-ending fight against the deadly poison of hatred is our primary duty,” Bayrou said in a post on X.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau also condemned the antisemitic attack, saying that “this act can only provoke disgust and anger.”

France’s Jewish community has faced a troubling surge in antisemitic incidents and anti-Israel sentiment since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct.7, 2023.

Jewish leaders have consistently called on authorities to take swift action against the rising wave of targeted attacks and anti-Jewish hate crimes they continue to face.

Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), denounced this latest incident, declaring that “today’s antisemites are no better than those of yesterday.”

“This is not just another antisemitic act. It is a way for antisemites to shout their hatred toward Jews, saying: ‘We are here more than ever!’” Arfi said in a post on X.

Israel’s ambassador to France, Joshua Zarka, condemned the attack, calling it a “shameful desecration” and denouncing those responsible.

“It’s clear that condemnations will pour in and outrage will be widespread, but who will truly reflect on the forces that led to this new act of barbarity?” Zarka said in a post on X.

“Antisemitism is a sign of a sick society, and in Europe today it has surged to levels reminiscent of nearly a century ago,” he continued. “May our departed rest in peace, and may those wounded by this brutality find healing.”

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Jewish LGBTQ+ Group Reinvited to Join Montreal Pride Parade After Initial Exclusion Due to Israel War

Shiryn Ghermezian

The 2023 Pride Parade in Montreal. Photo: Francois Nadeau / Hans Lucas via Reuters Connect

Organizers of Montreal’s 2025 Pride Parade reversed their decision to exclude two Jewish groups from the event on Sunday and apologized for banning their participation after receiving widespread condemnation.

In a statement on Tuesday, organizers expressed remorse “to the Jewish communities and specially to Jewish members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community” for excluding them from the parade, which marks the conclusion of The Fierté Montréal Festival that started on July 31.

“Fierté Montréal has always stood firmly against all forms of violence inflicted on marginalized populations or groups, including antisemitism, and remains committed to doing so,” said Marlot Marleau, president of the Fierté Montréal Festival. “As 2SLGBTQIA+ rights continue to erode around the world, we have a responsibility to provide an inclusive and safe gathering space for all participants, regardless of their religious or cultural background. This is a commitment we will continue to uphold in collaboration with all organizations taking part in our events.”

Ga’ava (which in Hebrew means “pride”) is Canada’s oldest and largest Jewish LGBTQ+ group. It participated in the Montreal Pride Parade last year. Ga’ava and its partner organization, the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said they were informed on July 31 that they were banned from attending the parade on Sunday.

Explaining the decision, but without mentioning the name of either group, festival organizers said they received complaints about statements made by the organizations that were perceived as “hateful.”

“To ensure that the Fierté Montréal Festival remains a safe and celebratory space for everyone, the Board of Directors of Fierté Montréal has made the decision to deny participation in the Pride Parade to organizations spreading hateful discourse,” they explained. “This measure is taken in the context of a complex geopolitical situation and stems from our commitment to preserving the emotional and physical safety of our communities. We refuse to allow the spaces of the Fierté Montréal to be instrumentalized in the context of a conflict that involves major violations of fundamental human rights.”

In the same statement, festival organizers condemned what they claimed is “genocide” taking place in the Gaza Strip. They also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people “and their opposition to genocide.”

Ga’ava said Montreal Pride representatives received anonymous complaints by people who accused the Jewish group of making hateful comments during an interview about attempts to exclude pro-Israel groups from the annual pride parade. Ga’ava said “the terms ‘pro-terror’ or ‘pro-Hamas,’ which [Ga’ava] are accused of using, may offend those who have supported or celebrated terrorism, but they do not constitute hate speech.”

Carlos A. Godoy L., who has been the volunteer president of Ga’ava for a decade, said the “deeply discriminatory” decision to initially exclude them from the parade was based on “flimsy, politically motivated reasons decided behind closed doors under pressure from groups that hate Jews, deny Israel’s existence, and whose members celebrated the atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023.”

Eta Yudin, Quebec’s CIJA vice president, said, “Instead of standing together against hate, antisemitism, and homophobia, Montreal Pride has chosen to align with those who fuel hatred, seek to divide our society, and attack the shared Quebec values with this antisemitic decision.”

The parade’s ban against the Jewish groups resulted in resignations of a festival committee member – who called the decision “discriminatory and indefensible” — and its chairman of the board. An executive director of the festival took leave because of the decision, according to The Canadian Jewish News. The decision was additionally condemned by several Canadian politicians, including a group which penned a letter to festival organizers about the “unacceptable” move.

Elisabeth Prass, the Quebec Liberal Party’s only Jewish parliamentarian, said, “No discrimination of any kind should take place during an event meant to promote diversity and inclusion. Antisemitism has no place in the face of acceptance of Jewish members of the LGBTQ+ community.” Quebec’s Minister of International Relations Martine Biron called the move ” counterproductive to the mission of inclusion of Montreal Pride.”

On Tuesday, Fierté Montréal Festival organizers acknowledged that their actions were “perceived by the Jewish community in Québec (and especially by Jewish members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community) as a way to exclude them from its events.”

“This does not reflect the inclusive values that guide Fierté Montréal’s actions,” they added. “The organization is committed to improving its internal complaint management processes to ensure that a situation like this one does not happen again and that no communities feel left out from its future festivities. The organization has reached out to representatives of the Jewish community, including CIJA, to clarify the situation and to ensure a space that is inclusive and safe for everyone, especially for Jewish members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who wish to take part in the Parade. These discussions have helped clarify each party’s stance and reaffirm a shared commitment to Fierté Montréal’s values of inclusion and respect.”

Festival organizers changed their decision about one month after the research division of the Combat Antisemitism Movement released a report detailing incidents of hate against Jews which took place in June during demonstrations in celebration of LGBTQ+ rights and identity.

Also in June, the nonprofit A Wider Bridge outlined in its own report how anti-Israel activists in the LGBTQ+ community are subjecting Zionist Jews to extreme levels of discrimination, including expulsions from major progressive groups and even physical assault.