Tragedy in Rafah: Sabreen al-Sakani and Her Family Killed in Israeli Airstrike, Netzah Yehuda Unit Under Scrutiny Amidst Escalating Tensions

Rafah, Gaza Strip Palestine, State of
At least 469 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
Elderly Palestinian-American man found dead after detention at West Bank checkpoint.
Israeli airstrike in Rafah kills Sabreen al-Sakani, her husband, and their four-year-old daughter during labor.
Netzah Yehuda Unit under scrutiny for alleged abuses against Palestinians.
Tragedy in Rafah: Sabreen al-Sakani and Her Family Killed in Israeli Airstrike, Netzah Yehuda Unit Under Scrutiny Amidst Escalating Tensions

In the southern part of the Gaza Strip, a tragic incident unfolded as Israeli strikes hit Rafah, resulting in the death of 22 people, mostly children. According to health officials' reports, an Israeli airstrike on Saturday night killed Sabreen al-Sakani during labor. Her husband and their four-year-old daughter also perished in the same attack. In a desperate attempt to save their unborn child, medical workers performed an emergency cesarean section at the Kuwaiti hospital. The premature baby girl survived but was left fighting for her life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a nearby Emirati hospital.

The Israeli military's offensive against Hamas continued, with Rafah being one of the hardest-hit areas. At least 469 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and this number includes many children and women. The situation in Rafah is particularly dire as more than half of Gaza's population has sought refuge there from fighting elsewhere.

Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and its ally, the United States, escalated further as the U.S. was on track to approve a billions of dollars aid package for Israel. Israeli leaders criticized this decision and vowed to oppose it due to concerns about potential sanctions against a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israeli military, Netzah Yehuda.

Netzah Yehuda, an infantry battalion founded roughly a quarter of a century ago to incorporate ultra-Orthodox men into the military, has historically been based in the occupied West Bank. Some members of this unit have been linked to abuses against Palestinians. In 2022, an elderly Palestinian-American man was found dead shortly after being detained at a West Bank checkpoint. Investigators claimed that soldiers were forced to restrain him due to his 'aggressive resistance.' However, the family of the deceased has expressed skepticism about this explanation.

As tensions rose between Israel and its allies, Netzah Yehuda was moved out of the West Bank and reassigned to northern Israel. The battalion was later moved to the southern border with Gaza after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack triggered the ongoing war.

Despite these challenges, life in Rafah goes on as survivors bury their dead and try to rebuild their lives amidst the chaos of war.



Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if there are any ongoing investigations into alleged abuses by Netzah Yehuda Unit against Palestinians.
  • The Israeli military's reports on the cause of death for the elderly Palestinian-American man at the checkpoint have not been independently verified.

Sources

71%

  • Unique Points
    • Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed 22 people, including 18 children, according to health officials.
    • The United States is advancing a billions of dollars aid package to Israel, its close ally.
    • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that more political and military pressure will be applied on Hamas to bring back hostages and achieve victory.
    • At least 80% of Gaza’s population have fled to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave due to the war.
    • The $26 billion aid package approved by the U.S. House of Representatives includes around $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza, which experts say is on the brink of famine.
    • Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to call for a new election to replace Netanyahu and a deal with Hamas to release hostages.
  • Accuracy
    • ][Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed 22 people, including 18 children, according to health officials.][][The US is advancing a billions of dollars aid package to Israel, its close ally.]
    • ][Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that more political and military pressure will be applied on Hamas to bring back hostages and achieve victory.][][Israeli strikes in Rafah, Gaza killed 22 people, including 18 children.]
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author reports the deaths of 22 people in Rafah, including 18 children, but fails to mention that these deaths were a result of clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas militants. Instead, the author places blame on Israel for carrying out 'near-daily air raids' and vowing to expand its ground offensive against Hamas. The article also includes emotional manipulation through quotes from relatives of the deceased children expressing their grief and anger towards Israel. These quotes are used to elicit an emotional response from readers without providing any context or information about the underlying conflict.
    • The first Israeli strike in Rafah killed a man, his wife and their 3-year-old child, according to the nearby Kuwaiti Hospital.
    • These children were sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?
    • Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.
  • Fallacies (50%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to emotion. The author reports the deaths of children in Rafah due to Israeli strikes without providing any context or justification from the Israeli perspective. This creates an emotional response in readers that may lead them to blame Israel for the deaths without considering all the facts. Additionally, there are several instances of dichotomous depiction, where the article presents only one side of a complex issue and fails to provide a balanced perspective. For example, it describes Israeli strikes on Rafah as 'near-daily air raids' and 'landing more and painful blows on Hamas,' but does not mention the reasons for these strikes or the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. This creates a biased view of events that may not accurately reflect reality. Furthermore, there are several instances where the author quotes relatives of victims expressing their anger and sadness over the deaths, which may elicit an emotional response from readers without providing any counter-perspective or context.
    • Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 22 people, including 18 children
    • In the coming days, we will increase the political and military pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to bring back our hostages and achieve victory. We will land more and painful blows on Hamas – soon.
    • These children were sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

76%

  • Unique Points
    • The US is expected to impose sanctions on a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israeli military, Netzah Yehuda, marking the first time the US has imposed sanctions on a unit inside the Israeli military.
    • Israeli leaders condemn the anticipated decision as unfair and vow to oppose it.
    • Netzah Yehuda has historically been based in the occupied West Bank and some of its members have been linked to abuses against Palestinians.
    • The unit came under heavy American criticism in 2022 after an elderly Palestinian-American man was found dead shortly after he was detained at a West Bank checkpoint.
    • Investigators said soldiers were forced to restrain Assad because of his ‘aggressive resistance’. Assad’s family has expressed skepticism that the behavior of an ailing 78-year-old could justify such harsh treatment.
    • Amid the uproar with the US, Israel moved Netzah Yehuda out of the West Bank in late 2022 and reassigned it to northern Israel.
    • The battalion was moved to the southern border with Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack triggered the ongoing war.
    • If the unit is sanctioned, its consequences will be reviewed, according to the army.
  • Accuracy
    • The US is expected to impose sanctions on a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israeli military, Netzah Yehuda.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of Israeli leaders criticizing the expected US sanctions against a military unit. It does not mention any potential wrongdoings by the unit or provide context about why the US is considering imposing sanctions. Additionally, there is emotional manipulation through phrases like 'further strain relations between the two allies' and 'growing increasingly tense during Israel's war in Gaza'. The article also uses loaded language such as 'ultra-Orthodox soldiers', implying that they are a problematic group.
    • If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on a unit in the IDF, I will fight it with all my might
    • Israeli leaders condemned the anticipated decision as unfair
    • The decision, expected as soon as Monday, would mark the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions on a unit inside the Israeli military and would further strain relations between the two allies
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. The authors use phrases like 'strain relations between the two allies,' 'growing increasingly tense,' and 'further strain relations' to create a sense of tension and conflict between Israel and the US. They also quote Israeli leaders condemning the anticipated decision as unfair, especially during wartime, without providing any evidence or counterargument. Additionally, they quote Benny Gantz stating that Israel's judicial system is 'strong and independent,' implying that any sanctions against a military unit would be an attack on the entire country's legal system. However, no formal fallacies were identified in the article.
    • ][Israeli leaders] condemned the anticipated decision as unfair, especially at a time when Israel is at war,
  • Bias (80%)
    The article reports on the expected US sanctions against a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israeli military, Netzah Yehuda. The author mentions that this decision would further strain relations between Israel and the US and provides details about the unit's history and past controversies. While not explicitly stating bias, the author's choice of words such as 'strain relations,' 'expected decision,' and 'further strain' implies a negative stance towards the US for imposing sanctions on this Israeli military unit. This can be considered ideological bias against the US.
    • The decision, expected as soon as Monday, would mark the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions on a unit inside the Israeli military and would further strain relations between the two allies
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    78%

    • Unique Points
      • Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed 22 people, including 18 children, according to health officials.
      • At least 469 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
    • Accuracy
      • The US is advancing a $26 billion aid package to Israel, its close ally.
      • Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah and plans to expand its ground offensive against Hamas militant group in the city despite calls for restraint, including from the U.S.
      • At least 34,097 Palestinians have been killed and 76,980 wounded in the Israel-Hamas war.
      • Israeli troops killed two Palestinians who attacked a checkpoint with a knife and a gun near Hebron.
      • Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to call for a new election to replace Netanyahu and a deal with Hamas to release hostages.
    • Deception (30%)
      The article includes selective reporting by focusing on the number of children killed in Israeli strikes on Rafah without mentioning the context of ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas or Hamas' use of civilians as human shields. The author also uses emotional manipulation by quoting a relative's statement about innocent children being killed, but does not provide any counterpoint or context from the Israeli perspective.
      • Mohammed al-Beheiri said that his daughter, Rasha, and her six children were among those killed
      • Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 22 people, including 18 children, health officials said Sunday
      • The first Israeli strike in Rafah killed a man, his wife and their 3-year-old child
    • Fallacies (75%)
      The article includes several inflammatory rhetorical statements and appeals to authority without providing evidence for the claims made. There are also some examples of formal fallacies, such as false cause and hasty generalization. However, no informal fallacies or dichotomous depictions were found.
      • . . . it has also vowed to expand its ground offensive against the Hamas militant group to the city on the border with Egypt despite calls for restraint, including from the U.S.
      • In the coming days, we will increase the political and military pressure on Hamas because this is the only way to bring back our hostages and achieve victory. We will land more and painful blows on Hamas – soon.
      • The war was sparked by an unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which Hamas and other militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages.
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    95%

    • Unique Points
      • Sabreen Jouda was born after her mother, Sabreen al-Sakani, was killed in an Israeli airstrike during labor.
      • Sabreen's father and 4-year-old sister were also killed in the same airstrike.
    • Accuracy
      • ][The number of people killed in Rafah by Israeli strikes is 22, including 18 children.][In the article provided, Sabreen's father and sister were also killed in an Israeli airstrike.]
      • [][Israeli strikes in Rafah killed 22 people, including 18 children.][The article states that Sabreen's father and sister were also killed in an Israeli airstrike.]
    • Deception (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Fallacies (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication