A segment aired on Channel 4 News by correspondent Alex Thomson (“Gaza: No water, electricity or food in ‘severely damaged’ Nasser Hospital”, Feb. 20) was characteristically one-sided in reporting on recent IDF’s activity in and around Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The military operation was based on intel that hostages had been held there and that some bodies of dead hostages may still be at the site.
In the opening, Thomson claims that there was no food or water at the hospital due to the IDF’s operation, and that electricity was gone However, Thompson failed to cite the IDF emphatic denial to those claims, noting that the army in fact brought food, water and baby formula to the hospital, and that it ensured the continual supply of electricity.
“This morning, a report was received concerning the interruption of generator activity, resulting in the failure of electrical systems within the hospital. Contrary to the allegation, IDF troops did not target the generators. The troops were instructed to ensure the continuous functioning of the hospital,” the IDF said. “Despite the generator malfunction at the hospital”, the statement continued, “all vital systems continued to operate throughout the day based on the existing Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system in the hospital”.
The IDF also reportedly facilitated the delivery of 24,500 litres of fuel to keep the hospital operational, coordinated with international aid organisations to continue to supply fuel for the medical center.
Thomson also omitted IDF reports that their forces found medicine which was supposed to be delivered to Israeli hostages, as well as Hamas weapon caches.
As IDF operations continue in Nasser Hospital:
🔴 IDF troops uncovered medications with the names of Israeli hostages inside the hospital along with weapons.
🔴 A report was received regarding the failure of electrical systems within the hospital. Our troops worked to repair… pic.twitter.com/S6Wpd3F6Re
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 16, 2024
Our forces located medicines specifically designated for the Israeli hostages in Gaza, large quantities of weapons and a vehicle belonging to Kibbutz Nir Oz—all found in the Nasser Hospital.
While Hamas continues to use civilians as human shields in the hospital, the IDF has… pic.twitter.com/k2mO1Fpn7N
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 18, 2024
Thomson also omitted that the IDF arrested over 100 terror suspects at the hospital.
Further into the segment, Thomson outright lies, telling viewers that 29,000 Gaza civilians have died in Gaza since Oct. 7. As we noted in a X post to the journalist (as well as Channel 4 News’s international editor), the 29,000 number released by Hamas (even if we’re to trust that figure) doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, and even the terror group has said that over 6,000 of their fighters have died. Israel places the number at 12,000.
If this blatant falsehood isn’t corrected, we intend to complain to Ofcom.
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Does the British military ordinarily fix generators for their enemies while trying to defeat them in war? So much concern for the welfare of Palestinians above all other people, especially Israelis who continue to be attacked by the aggressor in this war, attests to the fact that this is war propaganda disguised as humanitarian concern, aka, the usual.