Buried deeply within this AP story about Gazans trying to flee to Israel at the Erez crossing is this information:
In related news, Hamas have deployed gunmen along the 8-mile border road separating Egypt from Gaza, and at the Rafah border crossing, to keep people from fleeing into Egypt. Palestinians who tried to leave Gaza via Rafah were turned back at gunpoint.
So. Think the world is going to get on Hamas the way they’re getting on Israel for refusing to let Gazans into Israel?
I’m thinking not. Because here is the lede to the article quoted above:
Hundreds of terrified Gazans fleeing Hamas rule were trapped at a main crossing with Israel on Tuesday, hoping to gain permission to pass through Israeli territory to sanctuary in the West Bank.
Fearing death or persecution, Gazans began flocking to the Erez passage after Hamas militants wrested control of the coastal strip from Fatah security forces late last week. Israel, which has no interest in letting masses of Gazans pass through its territory and possibly destabilize the quieter West Bank, has refused to let most of them in, saying their lives were not in danger.
By Tuesday, about 600 people were holed up in the long, concrete tunnel that leads to the Israeli side of the crossing. Around 100 people belonged to Fatah security forces, but the rest were civilians, seeking a better life in the West Bank.
You see? It’s all about Israel refusing to let Gazans in, nothing about Hamas refusing to let Gazans out. And in the first three paragraphs of the story, nothing about Hamas attacking its own people, trying to scare them out of Erez. Not until paragraph five do you get that news. Remember, three paragraphs is about the most you’ll find in most “World” and “International” news sections of your daily paper. And know that the AP knows this intimately, since they are the premier supplier of international news to American newspapers. Paragraph five:
On Monday, gunmen allied with Hamas disguised themselves as fleeing civilians and hurled hand grenades at Israeli soldiers and Palestinians at Erez, killing a relative of a slain Fatah warlord, and injuring 15 other Palestinians.
And paragraph six, which has even more import to the story:
In a move to maintain order, Israeli tanks and armored vehicles rolled up to the Palestinian side of Erez on Tuesday, chasing away cars parked next to the tunnel, including vehicles belonging to journalists.
The Israeli soldiers are protecting the refugees from the Hamas terrorists who shot them yesterday. Wow. Those Israelis really suck, don’t they? Inconveniencing journalists just so they can stop Hamas from killing more Palestinians.
Because journalists being near the scene is so much more important than protecting civilians. [Insert eye roll here.]