Any journalist with an ounce of common sense knew that the numbers that came from Gaza’s Ministry of Health couldn’t be trusted because the Hamas terrorist group controls the government. But during her eponymous show on Sunday, MSNBC host Yasmin Vossoughian demonstrated that she completely lacked common sense when she got triggered by the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Jonathan Conricus calling out her network for helping to disseminate Hamas’s lies.
Vossoughian tried to draw a false equivalency between Hamas terrorists invading Israel with the goal of slaughtering women and children with the IDF who only targeted Hamas installations and warned civilians in the area to leave. “Colonel, I know that on October 7th there were many women and children that were killed in Israel,” BUT “There are images emerging from Gaza, now,” she huffed.
“The death toll seeming like it’s above 4,600 people, many of them women and children who have lost their lives because of Israeli rocket fire,” she parroted Hamas propaganda, while also falsely suggesting Israel fired indiscriminate rockets instead of guided bombs and missiles. “How do you explain that?”
Conricus told Vossoughian not to “create any parity” between the IDF and Hamas and explained to her how they specifically targeted Israeli women and children:
The only thing I can say is that we definitely don't target civilians. We try to strike militants, contrary to what the subhuman terrorists, these ISIS monsters that came across the border did. They specifically targeted our women and children and elderly and men and soldiers, but specifically the civilians. Out of 1,300, more than 1,300 dead Israelis, more than 1,000 are civilians which is – and that is by design.
“Unfortunately, the civilians are in the battle space. We are doing our best to get them out of harm's way. We have called on them to evacuate. Those who listen to us have a much better chance of safety,” he said. “We will still try to operate according to the laws of armed conflict and distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.” To which Vossoughian would scoff at.
Going further in trying to educate Vossoughian on how to be better when reporting on the war, Conricus said she should “keep in mind that everything that comes out of Gaza is not verified independently. It is information disseminated by Hamas and that Hamas are the equivalent of ISIS when it comes to truthfulness.”
This triggered Vossoughian, who started speaking over her guest in disbelieve and demanded to know if he was daring to question the casualty numbers produced by Hamas (Click “expand”):
VOSSOUGHIAN: Sir are you – Colonel are you disputing the number of people that – Are you disputing the number of people that have been killed in Gaza, the number of women and children? Are you disputing that? Are you saying it's not accurate?
CONRICUS: I am definitely questioning each and every piece of information that comes out of the Hamas-controlled so-called Ministry of Health. Each and every piece of information – And I will give you an example. The first reports that that authority gave out --
VOSSOUGHIAN: But many of these -- Coronel are being – are being – Many of these Coronel are being reported by independent journalists that are in the region as well.
She suggested that the numbers were being reported by “independent” journalists but they too were either using the numbers pumped out by Hamas or were local Gaza reporters with a vested interest in smearing Israel. Conricus responded with the prime example of how the media quickly bought into the lies spewed by the Ministry of Health in the wake of the hospital blast last week.
“You know, the first reports also reported here on MSNBC, but in many other media outlets quoting the Hamas-run Health Ministry and Gaza said 500 dead Palestinians in the hospital incident in Gaza,” he recounted. “Do you know how many people were actually killed? The EU estimates that it was between ten and 50. And the 500 is what the Hamas-controlled authority said.”
“And most of the international media fell for that and reported it. And it gave credibility to a false number disseminated by a terrorist organization,” he blasted the unscrupulous media.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
MSNBC’s Yasmin Vossoughian Reports
October 22, 2023
3:10:46 p.m. Eastern(…)
YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN: Colonel, I know that on October 7th there were many women and children that were killed in Israel. There are images emerging from Gaza, now. The death toll seeming like it’s above 4,600 people, many of them women and children who have lost their lives because of Israeli rocket fire. How do you explain that?
JONATHAN CONRICUS (IDF spox.): Yes, I don't want to create any parity. And human suffering is suffering, whether it's ours or theirs. The only thing I can say is that we definitely don't target civilians. We try to strike militants, contrary to what the subhuman terrorists, these ISIS monsters that came across the border did. They specifically targeted our women and children and elderly and men and soldiers, but specifically the civilians. Out of 1,300, more than 1,300 dead Israelis, more than 1,000 are civilians which is – and that is by design.
So, we are not targeting the civilians. Unfortunately, the civilians are in the battle space. We are doing our best to get them out of harm's way. We have called on them to evacuate. Those who listen to us have a much better chance of safety. Those who do not, unfortunately, are at risk. We will still try to operate according to the laws of armed conflict and distinguish between combatants and non-combatants.
(…)
3:13:29 p.m. Eastern
CONRICUS: And I want to say one more thing when it comes to data coming out of Gaza. Please keep in mind that everything that comes out of Gaza is not verified independently. It is information disseminated by Hamas and that Hamas are the equivalent of ISIS when it comes to truthfulness. And thinks –
VOSSOUGHIAN: Sir are you – Colonel are you disputing the number of people that – Are you disputing the number of people that have been killed in Gaza, the number of women and children? Are you disputing that? Are you saying it's not accurate?
CONRICUS: I am definitely questioning each and every piece of information that comes out of the Hamas-controlled so-called Ministry of Health. Each and every piece of information – And I will give you an example. The first reports that that authority gave out --
VOSSOUGHIAN: But many of these -- Coronel are being – are being – Many of these Coronel are being reported by independent journalists that are in the region as well.
CONRICUS: Let me give an example and I think it will be useful. You know, the first reports also reported here on MSNBC, but in many other media outlets quoting the Hamas-run Health Ministry and Gaza said 500 dead Palestinians in the hospital incident in Gaza.
Do you know how many people were actually killed? The EU estimates that it was a between ten and 50. And the 500 is what the Hamas-controlled authority said. And most of the international media fell for that and reported it. And it gave credibility to a false number disseminated by a terrorist organization.
That is why I say that we should all exercise caution and skepticism when we get these figures, especially when they speak about civilians, women, and children. Those are the things that they will try to harvest. That is what they are trying to achieve. That picture of –
VOSSOUGHIAN: Coronel, many of these reports are though are being – are being reported by pictures being taken by independent journalists, who are risking their lives every day reporting on what is happening inside of Gaza. And I think you can admit – we can both admit innocent civilians are, in fact, losing their lives. Children are, in fact, losing their lives in Gaza as well.
(…)
