UN Inquiry: Both Israel and Hamas Committed War Crimes

Above: Citizens inspect the effects of the destruction of Al-Farouq Mosque and the buildings destroyed by the Israeli raids on February 22, 2024 in Rafah, Gaza. Image copyright: Ahmad Hasaballah/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

  • The UN released a report on Wednesday detailing alleged war crimes committed by both Israel and Hamas. The inquiry found that Israeli forces are guilty of forced starvation, intentionally targeting civilians, forced displacement, sexual violence, torture, and arbitrary detention.

  • The report continued that Israeli forces had conducted a campaign of "extermination" in Gaza, adding that Israeli leaders had made statements reflecting "the policy of inflicting widespread destruction and killing large numbers of civilians."


The Spin

Pro-Israel narrative

Israel rigorously follows the laws of war and goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties. All this report demonstrates is that the UN is deeply biased against Israel and seeks to create a nauseating equivalence between Israeli self-defense and Hamas' horrific terrorism.

Pro-Palestine narrative

Israel can no longer play the victim card as the evidence mounts that it's Israeli forces who are committing the most serious crimes. The propaganda offensive accusing Hamas of systematic rape has been thoroughly debunked, and, as it turns out, Israeli forces are committing sexualized torture against Palestinians in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.


Metaculus Prediction


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

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