Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz joined the Wednesday edition of CNN News Central and condemned the network for repeating Hamas propaganda on the Al-Shifa Hospital when it cited Hamas saying there is no command center at the facility.
The propagandist in question was reporter Nada Bashir who declared, “As we know, the IDF, the Israeli military says it is targeting Hamas infrastructure, it believes and it says it has gathered evidence of a Hamas command center beneath the Al-Shifa Hospital. But, again, this has been denied by Hamas. The military presence has been denied and rejected by doctors on the ground inside Al-Shifa.”
Fast forward not even five minutes as Moskowitz joined the program and host Sara Sidner played a clip of Israeli military spokesman, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht claiming, “We find certain things. That's all I can say at this stage. We understand that there's a substantial Hamas infrastructure in the area, in the vicinity of the hospital, potentially under the hospital, and it's something we're working. It will take us time.”
Sidner claimed the statement was more noteworthy than it really was, “I think what got a lot of people's attention is that word ‘potentially, the tunnels under the hospital, which Israel has again and again said that they exist somewhere in that complex.
Trying to see a problematic pattern, Sidner continued:
We've also heard from another spokesperson who said the hospital -- they went in, in part because of hostages, and then another spokesman said, no, that's not why they went in. So, are you a little bit concerned about the differing stories that are coming out? Obviously, they're in the middle of an operation, which gets very complicated, but do you have any concerns about the different stories that you're hearing from the IDF?
In response, Moskowitz recalled that U.S. intelligence shares the belief “that there is a Hamas infrastructure below that hospital.” He also recalled how the Israelis have offered the hospital various supplies. As for Hamas’s claims, Moskowitz raised his voice and clearly frustrated, asked, “But we've got to stop listening to Hamas. Why are we listening to Hamas's propaganda that they continue to put out?”
Sidner, apparently forgetting the previous segment with Bashir, objected, “But wait, this wasn't Hamas. This was just a differing of some of the IDF military.”
Moskowitz wasn’t having it:
No. But we mentioned that Hamas denies that they have an infrastructure below the hospital. Why are we listening to them? What do you think? They're going to come out and say, “yeah, our infrastructure is below the hospital?” I mean, the Israelis wouldn't be there, right? There wouldn't be all of this focus on the hospital if they didn't have evidence that they're being looking for, if they didn't have access to tunnels, if they didn't have the technology to see below. They’re there for a reason. That's why there is a continued focus on the hospital.
He also explained, “This idea that Israel is just picking on a hospital trying to hurt people is the Hamas propaganda that they want. Hamas could have let those people leave weeks ago, right? They could have let them leave, but they held them at gunpoint. Because what Hamas wants is Hamas wants to use the Palestinians, the innocent Palestinians, as propaganda. They want them to die and then they want to put those images all over television.”
Exactly. And CNN and Bashir are, intentionally or otherwise, helping them.
Here is a transcript for the November 15 show:
CNN News Central
11/15/2023
10:08 PM ET
NADA BASHIR: Well, look, Kate, there is a huge amount of concern for the safety and security of patients, of medical staff and of other civilians who have taken to the Al-Shifa Hospital in search of shelter. As we know, there has been fierce bombardment around the hospital complex as well as on the ground fighting, which has impacted the hospital buildings directly over the last few days, but, of course, a huge amount of concern over this raid, which took place in the early hours of the morning.
As we know, the IDF, the Israeli military says it is targeting Hamas infrastructure, it believes and it says it has gathered evidence of a Hamas command center beneath the Al-Shifa Hospital. But, again, this has been denied by Hamas. The military presence has been denied and rejected by doctors on the ground inside Al-Shifa.
…
SARA SIDNER: I think what got a lot of people's attention is that word “potentially,” the tunnels under the hospital, which Israel has again and again said that they exist somewhere in that complex.
We've also heard from another spokesperson who said the hospital -- they went in, in part because of hostages, and then another spokesman said, no, that's not why they went in. So, are you a little bit concerned about the differing stories that are coming out? Obviously, they're in the middle of an operation, which gets very complicated, but do you have any concerns about the different stories that you're hearing from the IDF?
JARED MOSKOWITZ: Well, first of all, U.S. intelligence has also confirmed that they believe that there is a Hamas infrastructure below that hospital. So, it's not just the Israelis. With that said, look, I'm deeply worried about civilians that are in the hospital that Hamas wouldn't let leave and, obviously, I'm worried about, you know, these unborn babies needing the medical tools, incubators, things that they need. I know the Israeli government is trying to send those things and try to get them out of that hospital.
But we've got to stop listening to Hamas. Why are we listening to Hamas's propaganda that they continue to put out?
SIDNER: But wait, this wasn't Hamas. This was just a differing of some of the IDF military.
MOSKOWITZ: No. But we mentioned that Hamas denies that they have an infrastructure below the hospital. Why are we listening to them? What do you think? They're going to come out and say, “yeah, our infrastructure is below the hospital?” I mean, the Israelis wouldn't be there, right? There wouldn't be all of this focus on the hospital if they didn't have evidence that they're being looking for, if they didn't have access to tunnels, if they didn't have the technology to see below. They’re there for a reason. That's why there is a continued focus on the hospital.
This idea that Israel is just picking on a hospital trying to hurt people is the Hamas propaganda that they want. Hamas could have let those people leave weeks ago, right? They could have let them leave, but they held them at gunpoint. Because what Hamas wants is Hamas wants to use the Palestinians, the innocent Palestinians, as propaganda. They want them to die and then they want to put those images all over television. Israel doesn't need to just protect Israel from Hamas. Israel needs to protect the innocent Palestinians from Hamas, right? The only way we're going to get peace in this region and get to this two-state solution is to get the innocent Palestinian people away from Hamas.
