The faux truce, during which hundreds of rocket attacks, shootings, stabbings, attempted suicide bombings and suicide bombings killed and wounded dozens of Israelis, has been declared “over.” One might ask how a truce, which is defined as a cessation of hostilities, had ever been in effect, what with all the bombs and rockets and bullets flying, but then, one would not be a reporter if one asked that question.
Here is today’s example of media bias.
Hamas militants fired a barrage of rockets and mortar shells toward Israel on Tuesday and said they considered a five-month truce with Israel to have come to an end.
[…] Tuesday’s rocket attack, which came on Israel’s 59th Independence Day, did not cause any damage or injury. However, it marked the first time Hamas openly acknowledged firing shells toward Israel since agreeing to a cease-fire along the Gaza-Israel border in November.
A spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing said the group considered the truce to have ended.
“The cease-fire has been over for a long time, and Israel is responsible for that,” the spokesman, Abu Obeida, told the Voice of Palestine radio station.
Uh-huh. “The first time Hamas openly acknowledge firing” rockets. They’ve been partnering with PIJ and other terrorist groups the entire time. But the news media will never acknowledge that. Note the weasel words to describe how Hamas has been almost, kind of, sort of keeping the truce.
Hamas had largely held back on attacks in recent months, particularly during its negotiations on a power-sharing agreement with the Fatah movement of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Now the Muslim militant group appears to be spoiling for a fight, especially in the absence of any progress toward the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit.
Israel has largely held back on major offensives, but whenever Israel doesn’t go into Gaza, the headlines read something like, “Israelis threaten major Gaza offensive” and the reason is always “in retaliation for attacks” when, in fact, it is to capture the murderers and prevent more killing. It isn’t retaliation. That’s what the terrorists say they do.
And now we come to the usual double-standard in reporting on Palestinian deaths. Buried deep in the bottom of the story is the report of Palestinian children being shot. But they weren’t shot by Israelis, so they don’t get a headline, or much attention at all. This is the very last paragraph of the story. There is no other notice of these incidents.
On Monday, a 12-year-old boy was shot dead in northern Gaza by a stray bullet fired by gunmen, while in a separate incident a 5-year-old girl suffered serious head wounds when she was hit by another stray bullet.
What media bias? That media bias.