As the ground war in Gaza rages on, so, too, does the propaganda war. And at the heart of the propaganda war are Western media who insist on toeing the Hamas line.
Watch as NBC reporter Josh Lederman gains access to a recently-discovered tunnel network in Gaza, only to ask whether showing the tunnels to the media are a ploy with which to justify “massive Palestinian deaths”:
JOSH LEDERMAN: NBC News can't verify what this tunnel was used for or when. But Israel is under increasing pressure to prove its allegations about Hamas, especially after its deadly onslaught at Gaza's largest hospital last month. Several independent analyses later raised questions about Israel's claim that Hamas had command and control facilities deep underground.
Showing these tunnels to the media, is this an effort to justify incredible numbers of Palestinian deaths?
MAJ. DORON SPIELMAN, IDF: I think this is an effort to justify the fact that we have no choice but to be in Gaza fighting Hamas, and that those civilians were condemned the moment that Hamas built these tunnels underneath them.
For weeks now, the IDF has claimed that there was a terrorist tunnel network running throughout Gaza. This particular tunnel is located near the Erez Crossing, which was overrun on October 7th, as Hamas operatives swarmed across the border into Israel wherein they would conduct their barbaric attacks.
Lederman, who self-identified as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall, acknowledged the enormity of the tunnels just prior to questioning whether these were actual Hamas tunnels. It is then that he shifts into asking IDF spokesperson Maj. Doron Spielman whether the tour was cover for “massive Palestinian deaths”.
After Spielman’s response, the report closed with more hospital footage, and more bombings. Lederman made sure to hammer home a visual of “massive Palestinian deaths”. And in so doing, he provided Hamas with continued public relations.
As New Year’s Eve approaches, and with it, an increased threat of violence, let us pray for reporting that does not further inflame passions but instead lowers the temperature in furtherance of honest discussion and analysis of the issues at hand.
Click “Expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on NBC Nightly News on Wednesday, December 27th, 2023:
TOM LLAMAS: We want to head overseas now, as we’re getting our first look at what Israel calls the largest Hamas tunnel it has uncovered so far in Gaza. NBC’s Josh Lederman takes us inside.
JOSH LEDERMAN: We start our journey into Gaza at Erez crossing, the border checkpoint ransacked by Hamas on October 7th, now in shambles. Entering northern gaza on foot, the sounds of gunfire ricochet across the desert. As we pass a vast wasteland of mangled steel and concrete blocks, tanks rolling by and the hum of Israeli drones overhead. And the Gazans call them mosquitoes, they are a daily reminder that everyone here is being watched. The Israeli military has brought us here to see what it says is evidence of how Hamas has burrowed itself into Gaza's population. You've got reinforced concrete. They have electrical wires, there is plumbing overhead. I'm about 5'8", and you can see this goes way above my head. So it's probably about 10 feet tall.
NBC news can't verify what this tunnel was used for or when. But Israel is under increasing pressure to prove its allegations about Hamas, especially after its deadly onslaught at Gaza's largest hospital last month. Several independent analyses later raised questions about Israel's claim that Hamas had command and control facilities deep underground.
Showing these tunnels to the media, is this an effort to justify incredible numbers of Palestinian deaths?
MAJ. DORON SPIELMAN, IDF: I think this is an effort to justify the fact that we have no choice but to be in Gaza fighting Hamas, and that those civilians were condemned the moment that Hamas built these tunnels underneath them.
LEDERMAN: Tonight, the war fueling tensions across the region. An attack drone launched against U.S. Forces in Iraq. Hezbollah saying it launched 30 rockets at Israel's northernmost city. And yet more airstrikes in Khan Younis, Gaza’s 2nd largest city. Josh Lederman, NBC News, the Gaza Strip.
