Israel Must Wage War with the Biased PR Situation It Faces, Not the One It Wants

Ancient cities have fallen throughout history because of sieges. Generals surrender during sieges because they don’t have a death wish. In Gaza, what is so clearly evident is that Hamas always intended for the deaths of the innocent.

Hamas won’t surrender because civilians suffering is a key part of their twisted plan.

The war provoked by Hamas is propaganda driven, aimed to result in the delegitimization of the Jewish State worldwide. Hideous deaths of Gaza’s children through bombs, through goods shortages with potentially clear evidence of Israel being at-fault, have been crucial to their aims. Even though Hamas started this war and put civilians in harm’s way, Israel still needs to perceive how it is being viewed in the court of public opinion.

Hamas’ aim is to demonize, delegitimize, and destroy Israel in the eyes of the world — and when right-wing ministers call on Gaza to starve or make other outlandish statements, they are playing right into Hamas’ strategy.

This Western information war was planned, just as October 7th had been planned. Prime Minister Netanyahu rushed into Hamas’ carefully laid trap for worldwide condemnation of Israel.

Hamas’ plan was obvious immediately after the horrors of October 7, 2023, as calls of genocide echoed on October 8 across America, before ground troops had even entered Gaza.

This is clear evidence of a deliberate media strategy. Not a single bomb shelter was ever built for the innocent non-combatants in Gaza, and this was deliberately done to ensure maximum casualties.

Hamas fighters hid in tunnels, deliberately placing their military headquarters under schools and hospitals to maximize casualties, in a battle they spent 18 years preparing for with billions in aid money.

The media doesn’t report on any of that — just the deaths of civilians (which are often reported using questionable Hamas data and claims). Skilled manipulation of video designed to quickly go viral deliberately escalates this cycle. The media occasionally prints a retraction later in tiny print — but the damage is already done — and often can’t be taken back.

Obviously, bombing campaigns with legitimate casualties and tragedies are contributing to this. However, because Israel has been at war for nearly two years, with no clear plan the entire time, Hamas and the media capitalize on this, and say Israel’s only aim is to kill civilians, when it is really trying to root out Hamas.

The Hamas media strategy is to convince the world Israel has done something unthinkable and unethical; such as bombing schools, hospitals and refugees. It does not matter if Israel does or does not. A disputed, controversial Instagram hashtag devoted to people in Gaza acting for the camera called #pallywood further compounds the lies obfuscating truth.

It’s true there are legitimate tragedies occurring, but we must also point out a deliberate Hamas media effort to overdramatize and intentionally mislead the world.

Hamas fighters in civilian clothing deliberately take shelter at schools becoming military targets; then maximum casualties ensue and a bleeding stain on the modern government of Israel grows. Rinse, repeat, spin.

Hamas’s literal plan was to entice war, by committing horrific crimes on October 7. Cynically their plan worked. They provoked the response of the Israeli government; although it was a unity government to begin with, it’s become partisan again, and far-right ministers are not helping with comments that Netanyahu condemns in words, but takes no meaningful action to stop or prevent.

The siege must be stopped. Israel must take the high road and continue flooding Gaza with food (and doing everything possible to keep it out of Hamas’s hands) and stop giving ammunition for hatred. One grain of truth becomes an entire story. Yes, the world is biased against Israel. But we also must accept that reality, and develop our strategies accordingly. We must continue to exist in this world even when Israel is treated unfairly. We should keep speaking the truth, but also adapt our strategies for the world we are currently facing.

Alix Kahn is a writer of essays,  stories, poetry & more.