Israel accused of opening fire on Gaza civilians waiting for food as Hamas says war death toll over 30,000 people
CBSFeb 29
US Blocks UNSC Statement Blaming Israel for Deadly Gaza Stampede
Image copyright: Ahmad Hasaballah/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The US has blocked a UN Security Council statement forwarded by Arab states that blamed Israel for Thursday's deadly events near Gaza City, in which over 100 Palestinians died in a stampede around an aid convoy, stating not all the facts were known as of yet.
Thursday's incident has generated global outrage, with several countries condemning Israeli forces for their alleged role in the chaos. The timeline of Thursday's events is still unclear, with contradictory reports regarding whether Israeli forces caused the stampede or not.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Due to the complicated nature of unfortunate incidents like this one, Israel must conduct a thorough investigation to maintain its moral high ground and demonstrate that it's serious about ending this war. The US has proudly stood by Israel in its battle against Hamas' terrorist forces. However, with every passing day that a temporary cease-fire is not in effect, Israel loses the strategic gains it has made and isolates itself on the international stage.
Pro-Israel narrative
Thursday's tragic security incident was an unfortunate reminder of one of the many difficulties Israel is facing. Footage from the incident clearly shows hundreds of Palestinians aggressively attacking the aid trucks, and Israeli forces did their best in a bad situation. The international community, even as it forgets Hamas' Oct. 7 atrocities, must remember that Israel didn't want this war, and it has been forced to take dramatic action to ensure its survival.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel has committed yet another terrible massacre in Gaza, only to be greeted with calls for an investigation and restraint. There already is more than enough evidence to suggest that Israeli forces fired indiscriminately into the crowds of terrified and hungry Palestinians barely managing to survive. Indeed, this massacre is another reminder of the lack of accountability Israel faces as it mercilessly butchers Palestinians.
Nerd narrative
There's a 65% chance that Israel will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.