Hamas strike on Israel - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

Never heard this, could you provide any links to this scenario?

That word 'Pallywood' is a very unpleasant one. As if anyone would need to 'fake' the total destruction of Gaza by the regime. Everyone can see the entire place has been flattened, most buildings (including houses, schools, hospitals and mosques) destroyed…..*not* a movie set.

I'm also convinced HAMAS have setup a lot of shots to then use as propaganda.

Is that just a gut feel?

I've genuinely not seen any "staged" images/videos but then, like @Miniegg, I avoid all videos etc unless they are published by mainstream media. At least then there is ample warning and I assume any distressing footage is heavily edited to remove any material that is gruesome.

I'd also imagine at this stage that there's enough real footage to negate anything needing to be staged.

How can one make Israel 'look bad' when it already looks like a nihilistic pariah state? There is an assumption behind the Pallywood claim that all sorts of devious cinematic propaganda stunts would be needed to make Israel look terrible, when the entire world can see that that Gaza has been destroyed, the entire population displaced and people are now starving. The Israeli press publishes photos of the destroyed Gaza every day of the week for their readers.

They'd of just ended up killing them anyway. Israel that is.

@Strazdas Israel already look bad and that's always been my position. HAMAS pulling stunts like that ultimately just lose them public support. Not that they have much outside of extremist anyway.

All I need to listen to are the brave aid workers and doctors/nurses in Gaza. They relay exactly what is going on and it's very very grim. You can tell how shocked they are that the world is unable to stop an active genocide.

As am I tbh.

I think genocide or partial genocide is the 'means' in fact. They want to drive the population out of Gaza by making the place completely uninhabitable. Presumably at some point in future they would put in Jewish Israeli settlers.

I don't agree. They need to keep western governments in check and supporting them and are trying to find the balance.

To date, despite all the killing, starvation and blatant disregard for civilian life and international law - all western governments are still supporting them. The few harsh words count for little.

Israel could drop a nuke sure - but what would that do to Israel in future? This is a marathon, not a sprint.

What would you recommend?

muh moral army strikes again.

A cease-fire might be on the way. But alleged War Criminal #1 (at large) won't like it.

Haaretz (in brief news items free if you sign up with your email address)

PM Netanyahu told hostages' families that he accepts the new cease-fire proposal brokered by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, which includes the release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies held in Gaza in two phases over the course of a week, in exchange for a 60-day cease-fire. Netanyahu said he is currently discussing it with defense officials. The Hamas leadership said it had received the proposal from the mediators and was "studying it."

"Hamas' current demand is that the agreement will include Washington as a full partner, with a signing ceremony to be held in Doha, including Witkoff and Khalil al-Hayya from Hamas. The Trump administration is not on board with this for now, but the change offers some cause for optimism that a formula can be found to guarantee Hamas' satisfaction, free some hostages, and expedite negotiations over a final agreement. Israel also rejects this Hamas demand, but its position is unimportant. Netanyahu is learning the insulting aspect of Trump's slogan 'America First.' His administration intends to do what it believes is good for America; Israel will be a factor but not a party to the agreement" – Chaim Levinson

This is actually very disturbing if it was the IDF

• UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini claimed that one of the organization's employees, whose body was found near those of 15 aid workers killed by the IDF at the end of March, was "killed through one or multiple blows to the back of his skull."

And this item is very intriguing:

"While disturbing images of Gazans storming and emptying food distribution centers in the Strip aired across the media on Tuesday, Israel's major marketing firms were grappling with a mystery: who is funding the humanitarian aid operation in Gaza? …If Israel is indeed funding the project, providing guarantees or offering temporary financing until donations are collected, it becomes clear why the government wants to keep this under wraps. Politically, the government fears backlash from its base if it becomes known that Israeli taxpayers are funding food aid to Gaza residents. On the other hand, in Gaza, if it is revealed that Israel is covering the costs, Hamas may attempt to sabotage the effort" – Hagai Amit

Today is Day 601

Israelis killed = 1,200

Gazans killed = 54,249

Ratio = 45:1

Catherine Connolly TD deserves applause for getting on Simon's nerves. She demanded we act on the genocide that we finally acknowledged is happening