The broadcast networks of ABC, CBS, and NBC proved themselves to terrorist sympathizers again on Wednesday as they whined about Israel sending Hezbollah’s second in command and Hamas’s top leader to meet their maker. Despite the fact Hamas had been a bad-faith actor in ceasefire negotiations, they suggested it was Israel who was sabotaging them by taking out the threats. One reporter even suggested the leader of Hamas was a “moderate” voice.
CBS foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab was the hands down worst. During his CBS Mornings segment, he decried: “Well, it really does feel as if the Middle East is on the brink of a major escalation following the two assassinations carried out by Israel in a matter of hours, including here in Beirut.”
He also insanely proclaimed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, a terrorist, was a “moderate” voice in the negotiating process:
The assassination is hugely significant and has major implications. Haniyeh who was leading cease-fire and hostage release negotiations for Hamas and was widely seen as more moderate and pragmatic than Hamas’ military leaders who, after nearly ten months of brutal warfare, continue to battle Israeli forces in Gaza. The fear now is that those talks could be completely abandoned.
Willfully ignoring the fact that Hamas has been rejecting peace deals and calling for another genocide of Jews, Tyab lamented Haniyeh’s demise somehow stopped peace. “Now one of the men killed, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political chief, has been a key negotiator for a cease-fire and hostage release deal with Israel. But now any postal agreement is in major jeopardy,” he bemoaned.
On the strike that took out Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukr, Tyab reported that supposedly “two children were killed.” But when noting the Hezbollah attack on a soccer field in Northern Israel that was the impetus for the strike, he merely suggested it “that killed 12 young people.” His framing made it seem like those killed could have been young adults. In reality, all 12 of them were children.
It’s worth a reminder that Tyab partied and celebrated with Hamas terrorists released in an exchange for October 7 hostages.
Over on NBCs’ Today, foreign correspondent Raf Sanchez noted that Hamas started the war on October 7 and that Haniyeh “celebrated the terror attack.” But far-left chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel told host Savanah Guthrie that Israel, not the terrorists, were the ones harming the peace process (Click "expand"):
GUTHRIE: Now, one of the negotiators killed, presumably by Israel, in Iran. What does that do to this process?
ENGEL: It disrupts it tremendously. There has been a deal on the table, that both sides more or less agree to, for the last several months, and they've been trying to work out some of the details. And the Qataris, other mediators, say it is Netanyahu who wants more. Netanyahu keeps insisting on maintaining troops in Gaza, maintaining a long-term security presence, and that Hamas hasn't been able to agree to those terms.
And now, after the killing of a member of Hamas' political wing–Ismail Haniyeh was–lives in Qatar–or, did live in Qatar–was part of the political wing, was one of the chief negotiators, now he's dead. So, Qatar, main moderator saying, “Well, how are we supposed to continue these talks when you have one side of the negotiating team killing the other negotiators?”
While Engel was suggesting the Qataris were trying to help the peace process, he obfuscated the fact that they too were also a known funder of Islamic terrorism.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s Good Morning America, correspondent Matt Rivers seemed to be anticipating a retaliatory strike on Israel. “So, a response from Iran is absolutely coming but what that looks like and when remains to be seen,” he announced. “Does Iran send missiles here like it did several months ago? Does it target Israeli embassies abroad? It's all on the table we’re just gonna have to wait and see. But I can tell you, Robin, few here in Tel Aviv are sleeping soundly these days.”
Further, on ABC, foreign correspondent Marcus Moore noted that the Hezbollah attack on Israel “killed 12 children.” But used the false propaganda term “occupied Golan Heights” to describe where the attack happened.
The transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC Good Morning America
7/31/2024
7:02:51 AMGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: First the breaking news overnight. The leader of Hamas was killed in Tehran while visiting for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. This comes shortly after Israel targeted a senior Hezbollah commander involved in this weekend’s deadly strike on a soccer field. Our team is spread out across the region on edge with fears of more escalation. Matt Rivers starts us off in Tel Aviv. Good morning, Matt.
MATT RIVERS: Good morning, George. This assassination has absolutely stunned this region in attack killing the political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh right in Tehran the capital of Tehran [sic]. Haniyeh, according to the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces, one of the masterminds of the attack on October 7. He was in Iran for the inauguration of its new president over the weekend. He was under their security protection.
Israel not directly taking responsibility for this killing but Iran blaming Israel nonetheless. It's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowing revenge saying Israel has "paved the way for a severe punishment and we consider it our duty to avenge the blood of those who were martyred in the Islamic Republic of Iran."
So, a response from Iran is absolutely coming but what that looks like and when remains to be seen. Does Iran send missiles here like it did several months ago? Does it target Israeli embassies abroad? It's all on the table we’re just gonna have to wait and see. But I can tell you, Robin, few here in Tel Aviv are sleeping soundly these days.
ROBIN ROBERTS: Such tense times there Matt. Okay, thank you. We’re gonna go to Lebanon’s capital Beirut after the Israeli attack there. Marcus Moore has the latest on the strike. Good morning to you Marcus.
MARCUS MOORE: Robin, good morning. This was a significant strike happening just before sundown here in southern Beirut, Hezbollah’s stronghold. Israeli officials targeting Fuad Shukr he’s Hezbollah’s top military commander and overnight Lebanese officials saying that a rescue operation was underway at the scene.
In a statement, Hezbollah saying that Shukr was in the building at the time of the strike but they have not said anything about his condition this morning. Israel overnight claiming that Shukr had been quote, “eliminated."
Now, according to the Lebanese Red Cross Agency several people were killed and more than 70 injured in the attack. Israel saying it was in retaliation for a strike that killed 12 children at a soccer field in the occupied Golan Heights over the weekend. Now Hezbollah is denying any involvement in what happened there.
Now in the past, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah has said an attack on Beirut will be met with an attack on Tel Aviv. People across the region now waiting to see what happens next. George.
CBS Mornings
7/31/2024
07:02:15 a.m. EasternVLADIMIR DUTIERS: Let’s begin with some breaking news this morning. The assassination of a Hamas leader overnight that could have major repercussions for the war in Gaza. Ismail Haniyeh, a political leader who’s one of the chief negotiators in the cease-fire talks, was killed in Iran just after attending the inauguration of the country's new leader. This comes on the heels of another major assassination of a top Hezbollah leader in Lebanon. Imtiaz Tyab is in Beirut. Imtiaz, Good morning.
IMTIAZ TYAB: Good morning. Well, it really does feel as if the Middle East is on the brink of a major escalation following the two assassinations carried out by Israel in a matter of hours, including here in Beirut. Now one of the men killed, Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political chief, has been a key negotiator for a cease-fire and hostage release deal with Israel. But now any postal agreement is in major jeopardy.
[Cut to video]
TYAB: Chaos in the immediate aftermath of the Israeli air strike in the southern Beirut neighborhood of Dahieh. When we arrived shortly afterwards, hundreds had gathered learning four people including two children were killed and at least 70 wounded in the attack.
Well you might be able to see over my shoulder that building over there. That was damaged in that Israeli strike. And as you can imagine, it's a scene of real chaos here, but also one, of real anger.
In a move almost unheard of, the Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strike and named its target.
DANIEL HAGARI: Fuad Shukr also known as Sayyid Muhsan, Hezbollah’s most senior military commander and the head of its strategic unit.
TYAB: Israel says Shukr was responsible for a rocket attack on a soccer field over the weekend that killed 12 young people in the Golan Heights. But before Hezbollah could even respond to his apparent killing, Iranian state TV announced another major assassination by Israel: Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas' political wing.
Iran's revolutionary guard also confirmed the killing which triggered shock and panic and the immediate overhaul of the nation's internal security.
The assassination is hugely significant and has major implications. Haniyeh who was leading cease-fire and hostage release negotiations for Hamas and was widely seen as more moderate and pragmatic than Hamas’ military leaders who, after nearly ten months of brutal warfare, continue to battle Israeli forces in Gaza. The fear now is that those talks could be completely abandoned.
[Cuts to Live]
TYAB: And this morning Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said all-out war in the region is still not inevitable. But following Israel's attack in Beirut and the assassination in Tehran, that may be wishful thinking as Hezbollah, Hamas, and now crucially Iran will no doubt respond. Nate?
NATE BURLESON: Imtiaz Tyab in Beirut. Thank you.
NBC’s Today
7/31/2024
07:04:02 a.m. EasternSAVANNAH GUTHRIE: We do want to begin, though, with that breaking news overnight and those escalating tensions in the Middle East, after a top Hamas leader was killed in Iran, heightening concerns of broader conflict throughout that region. We’ve got complete coverage this morning. Let's get started with NBC's Raf Sanchez. Raf, good morning to you.
RAF SANCHEZ: Savannah, good morning. In the days after the October 7th attack, Israel vowed to hunt down all of Hamas' top leaders. And early this morning, 299 days into this war, it appears to have taken a major name off its list, allegedly tracking down and killing Hamas' top political chief during a visit to Tehran.
[Cuts to video]
SANCHEZ: This morning, the war in the Middle East spreading, as a top Hamas leader assassinated inside Iran. Ismail Haniyeh killed just hours after meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, another avowed enemy of Israel. Both Hamas and Iran blaming Israel for the killing and vowing revenge. The Israeli government refusing to comment.
Iran's revolutionary guard saying Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, and one of his guards were killed in an attack on their residence in Tehran. Iranian media saying it was a missile strike.
The war started by Hamas' attack on October 7th also spilling into Lebanon, where Israel says it took out a senior commander in Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, who was responsible for killing 12 children in a rocket attack on a soccer field over the weekend. But Lebanon's health ministry says two children were also killed in the Israeli strike.
Now, after the attack in Iran, Hamas reeling from its leader's death. The 61-year-old Haniyeh was more a politician than a fighter. He left Gaza five years ago and lived comfortably abroad, while his people suffered, traveling the world rallying support for Hamas. On October 7th, he celebrated the terror attack. And while the IDF says the real mastermind, Yahya Sinwar, is still hiding in Gaza, Israel vowed it would one day take revenge on Hamas' most public face.
[Cuts back to live]
Now, there is real fear among the families of Israeli hostages, today, that this killing could derail those fragile cease-fire talks. We're already hearing from the prime minister of Qatar, the key mediator in those talks. He's asking, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking in front of Congress last week, did say that intensive efforts are underway to try to get the hostages home. Savannah?
GUTHRIE: Alright, Raf, thank you. I want to turn to NBC's chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel, with us here in Paris. Let’s talk about what Raf just said. I mean, you're talking about negotiations that had been bearing some fruit, a hostage deal that the U.S., of course, badly wants. Now, one of the negotiators killed, presumably by Israel, in Iran. What does that do to this process?
RICHARD ENGEL: It disrupts it tremendously. There has been a deal on the table, that both sides more or less agree to, for the last several months, and they've been trying to work out some of the details. And the Qataris, other mediators, say it is Netanyahu who wants more. Netanyahu keeps insisting on maintaining troops in Gaza, maintaining a long-term security presence, and that Hamas hasn't been able to agree to those terms.
And now, after the killing of a member of Hamas' political wing–Ismail Haniyeh was–lives in Qatar–or, did live in Qatar–was part of the political wing, was one of the chief negotiators, now he's dead. So, Qatar, main moderator saying, “Well, how are we supposed to continue these talks when you have one side of the negotiating team killing the other negotiators?”
GUTHRIE: It does raise questions about the timing. Is this one of those situations where, whomever took out this leader, that was a target of opportunity, it had to be done then or you might lose the opportunity?
ENGEL: Israel, and there are many Israeli military commentators, people very close to the government, are already celebrating this as a big success. So, even though Israel didn't and probably will never acknowledge it, it’s very likely it was Israel.
GUTHRIE: Generally it does not?
ENGEL: But generally it does not. But the fact that it was done in Iran is no accident. He lived in Qatar. They could have done it in Qatar, although that would have been an enormous embarrassment–the U.S. has military bases there, Qatar is a mediator. Could have done it in Istanbul, although Istanbul–Turkey is a NATO partner and that would also be a problem, also be an embarrassment.
But doing it in Tehran sends a double message. It sends a message to Hamas that, “We will take out any of your leaders and that the negotiations–there…may be secondary,” and it sends a message to Tehran that Israel can get past its security services and will do what it wants.
GUTHRIE: A significant breaking news, Richard. Good to have you with us, here in Paris. Thank you very much.
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