Netanyahu's Office Deletes Controversial Social Media Post Amid Gaza Hospital Explosion Controversy

In the wake of a devastating hospital explosion in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under scrutiny for a controversial comment posted on X (formerly Twitter) by his office, which has since been deleted.

What Happened: A Business Insider report reveals that the post drew from Netanyahu’s Knesset comments, describing the Israel-Hamas conflict as a confrontation “between the children of light and the children of darkness, between humanity and the law of the jungle.”

Six million views later, the @IsraeliPM deleted a post that used dehumanizing language about Palestinians and implied that Palestinian children are fair targets because—unlike Israeli children who are "children of the light"—they are supposedly "children of darkness": pic.twitter.com/7I3WZHU0oS

— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) October 17, 2023

Amid the Gaza hospital explosion news, the post was taken down on Tuesday. 

It is worth noting that the responsibility for the explosion remains unclear as both Israel and Palestinian groups have implicated each other in the explosion’s aftermath.

See Also: Ivanka’s Damage Control? Trump’s Daughter Plugs’ Timely’ Jared Kushner Talk On Israel-Hamas As Ex-President Faces Flak For Harsh Remarks

Israel has been accused by the Palestinian Health Ministry of attacking the al-Ahli hospital, a shelter for displaced individuals due to the ongoing Gaza conflict. 

While Hamas holds Israel responsible for the explosion, Israel’s military attributes the incident to a misfired rocket from Palestinian militants.

Netanyahu has said, “An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit.” 

However, Islamic Jihad’s spokesperson denied these claims.

The health ministry, under the governance of Hamas, has reported hundreds of casualties.

Why It Matters: This incident marks a tragic escalation in the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

Since Hamas initiated terrorist attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, Israel’s response has been continuous bombardment on Gaza, leading to over 2,800 Palestinian deaths, including numerous children.

This tragic incident at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza comes as U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to visit Israel amidst the ongoing conflict. Biden’s visit aims to show solidarity with Israel and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

The U.S. and Israel are working on a plan to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

Photo by Ververidis Vasilis on Shutterstock

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