The Biden administration "must respond to the reported execution-style massacre of women, children, and babies," said the spokesperson of a U.S. Muslim advocacy group.

Eyewitness testimony reported Wednesday by Al Jazeera accused Israeli troops of massacring forcibly displaced women and children sheltering at a school in northern Gaza,

The Israeli soldiers came in and opened fire on them," one unidentified witness said. “They took all men, then entered classrooms and opened fire on a woman and all the children with her,” including “newborn children.”

“The Israeli soldiers executed those innocent families point-blank,” she added.

A man who arrived at the scene after the alleged mass murder told Al Jazeera that “we found dozens of dead bodies in the classrooms.”

“There is no sign of any missiles or shells,” he added. “All those who were in the buildings were executed from point-blank. The Israeli soldiers opened fire on them. Many families came searching for their children. They found them all killed. They were all killed, executed at gunpoint.”

  • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    586·
    11 months ago

    What would independent verification mean on this? Who would qualify as independent that could reach the scene and evaluate it? At some point you can’t just decide that since the invading and allegedly responsible power doesn’t allow international investigations then no potential crime can ever be responsibly reported.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        191·
        11 months ago

        What statement? I think that it hasn’t been independently verified is essential, because it’s true, but the person I responded to wanted the entire story to not be published.

    • ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1622·
      11 months ago

      I watched the video from Al Jazeera. There are blurred sections, but at no point does it show blood or anything that is unambiguously a human body. I don’t expect that corpses with gunshot wounds would be broadcast on TV, but that still leaves commondreams.org with no evidence beyond several brief interviews filmed by Al Jazeera. I do expect that if this event took place, impartial news agencies would have access to uncensored images of the aftermath. I’m going to wait and see if the New York Times publishes something.

      • bedrooms@kbin.social
        305·
        11 months ago

        There are blurred sections, but at no point does it show blood or anything that is unambiguously a human body.

        So, what you’re saying is that there’s enough ground to believe that this news organization, Al Jazeera, has fabricated dead bodies. The journalist team blurred a pile of puppets or something and went on-air, lying they’re human bodies. That’s an interesting take…

        Alright, I’m out. I have nothing more to say to you.

        • Limitless_screaming@kbin.social
          321·
          11 months ago

          I won’t believe it without unblurred pictures. It’s not that hard; links to gory pictures should be included with a warning in these kinds of articles.

            • Limitless_screaming@kbin.social
              14·
              11 months ago

              Yes, but they already have them. They could just publish the footage without editing it. The footage already does look compelling, but it would be better if it was unblurred.

            • Limitless_screaming@kbin.social
              12·
              11 months ago

              Are you being serious here? It would be much better if the videos weren’t edited. It would leave too little room for doubt.

              • ???@lemmy.world
                5·
                11 months ago

                What’s the worst that could happen? They’re journalists. Ask them nicely. Make sure to let them know it’s because you don’t trust their journalism.

                • Limitless_screaming@kbin.social
                  14·
                  11 months ago

                  I do trust Al-Jazeera’s journalism generally, but I will hold them to the same standards we usually hold western media to. These images look more compelling as evidence than most of the pro-“Israeli” media’s evidence, but if Al-Jazeera really wants to convince people who are biased in favor of “Israel” or the US, then it must release unedited images, video clips, and audio clips.

                  Holding the media outlets on your side to a high standard will benefit you in the long term.

                  Remember that many people still actually believe that the occupations militia never explicitly targeted civilians. These articles are the perfect thing to point to, and they should be backed by as much evidence as possible.

                  As for the funii request, I may try to contact Al-Jazeera tomorrow and will ask them to include the footage like they usually do.

                  • ???@lemmy.world
                    11·
                    11 months ago

                    I think they have an editor policy about dead bodies full of bullets and that is why the images are blurred.

                    I think this is holding them against “another” standard, not a high one, but yeah okay sure.

                    Let me know how it goes.

            • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
              9·
              11 months ago

              Criticism of Israel is not praise for Hamas. The IDF and Hamas both deserve nothing but the sharpest condemnations. Both are a blight on the Palestinians.

                • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
                  5·
                  11 months ago

                  You’ll find crazies wherever you go. I’ve argued against those same people too and pointed out to them that Hamas isn’t the rebel army for Palestinians. They cause great harm to the civilians too.

                  Lumping all criticism of Israel together with pro Hamas drivel only benefits Hamas. That’s what they want, to build legitimacy and hate towards Israel. You’re doing their dirty work for them. If you actually want to oppose them, call out the specific, explicit instances. Don’t rail against a Palestinian protest group – rail against the terrorist supporters who are trying to disguise themselves.

                  The IDF is wrong for killing innocent people. Hamas is wrong for killing innocent people. Neither of them are justified in it. Anyone who cannot accept all these statements is a bigot in some way and should be condemned.

                  Also, there seems to be very direct links between Netanyahu and Hamas. The NYT just reported the other day that Israeli officials allowed suitcases of money to go Palestine for Hamas to seize. Netanyahu used them to get into power and stay in power.