The Junkies of Gaza’s Mass Disasters

Jerusalem, 18 October, 2023 (TPS) -- On the eve of US President Joe Biden’s arrival in the Middle East, a misfired rocket courtesy Palestinian Islamic Jihad quickly turned into accusations of a merciless Israeli massacre.

Within minutes, the death toll of 500 provided by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry showed up in news articles and social media feeds across the world.

How is it possible for one missile to cause damage of this magnitude?

The junkies of Gaza’s mass disasters. They’re found on the street, all over social media, in the news services and academic circles. And they don’t let go of anything real or imagined that reinforces their perception of Israel as the root of all evil.

The scenes of rage coming out of Gaza ignited protest and violence in the Arab world, from Tunis to Tehran.

In Amman, gunfire was heard among the Jordanians who tried to storm the Israeli embassy.

A similar scene played out at the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. Turks were whipped up by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He called the incident, “the latest example of Israel’s attacks devoid of fundamental human values.” But the rhetoric was belied by Turkey’s own airstrikes on Kurds in Syria and Iraq.

Egypt announced three days of mourning. But Cairo was careful not to draw attention to its refusal to allow Palestinians to leave Gaza.

Clashes broke out in Palestinian cities, challenging Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. As the PA chief returned to Ramallah from Jordan on Tuesday night, thousands of angry Palestinians rushed the Muqata compound. Other demonstrations in Hebron and Shechem (Nablus) continued until the morning.

“These may be the last days of Abu Mazen, the tension is rising and the events endanger his rule,” a senior Palestinian official told the Tazpit Press Service.

Hamas communications intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces clearly blamed Palestinian Islamic Jihad for the misfired rocket which devastated the Al Ahli Hospital. So did footage caught by security cameras at Moshav Netiv Ha’Asara, where the distance to the Gaza border is measured in meters.

The military also said on Wednesday it detected at least 450 rockets falling short and crashing in Gaza since Oct. 7.

But that’s not news in Gaza.

When Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were fighting in May, failed launches killed four Gaza civilians, raising considerable anger.