Mainstream media automatically “regurgitates” Hamas claims as factual, says former IDF spokesman Peter Lerner.
By World Israel News Staff
A former Israeli army spokesman slammed the Washington Post for “regurgitating” Hamas falsehoods regarding a strike that occurred in Rafah late Sunday evening, writing on social media platform X that the group intentionally uses civilian areas to engage in terror activity against Israel.
The targeted strike, which killed two senior Hamas officials, appears to have sparked a fire which led to dozens of additional casualties.
The Washington Post reported on Monday that the strike had occurred within an area designated as a humanitarian safe zone, but according to ex-IDF spokesman Peter Lerner, that is factually incorrect.
“Muhammad Abu Hani, quoted [in the Post article], is a Hamas official. He appears to be the source of the widely reported claim that the IAF targeted the humanitarian zone,” Lerner wrote.
“Fact: The strike did not take place in the humanitarian zone. The Washington Post should’ve checked this verifiable quote. They chose to blindly run a story, miserably failing their readers.”
Lerner added that the Post is far from the only international media outlet that accepts statements from Hamas officials as fact, without confirming the veracity of the terror group’s claims.
“If the Post and other [news outlets] are willingly quoting as fact the Hamas lies about a strike that DIDN’T occur in the humanitarian zone, what else are they automatically regurgitating?” he asked.
“The Hamas compound in #Rafah is another example of how they’ve intentionally weaponized the civilian arena. The question of why Hamas is allowed to push fake news, exaggerated figures and false narrative should be at the heart of all media coverage of this war.”
The ongoing war “could be over today” and additional Israeli and Palestinians civilians would be spared from suffering if Hamas releases the hostages and “unconditionally surrenders,” Lerner emphasized.