An image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians and the slogan 'All Eyes on Rafah' has gone viral on social media with over 47 million shares.
At least 45 people were killed in Rafah on May 30, 2024, after an Israeli air strike targeted two Hamas commanders.
Israel is under investigation for the incident due to international condemnation and claims from Palestinians that large bombs were used in a civilian area.
President Joe Biden's advisers have insisted that his embrace of Israel has resulted in the least bad outcome in the Gaza war, but this policy is hard to execute and communicate.
The attack hit a tent camp for displaced people, causing secondary explosions and civilian deaths.
The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to limit military operations in Rafah and cease actions causing widespread civilian deaths.
Thousands of troops are in the area of Rafah, Gaza City, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed during the assault.
UN experts have called for sanctions and arms embargoes against Israel due to the assault on Rafah.
On May 30th, 2024, at least 45 people were killed in Rafah after an Israeli air strike targeted two Hamas commanders. The attack hit a tent camp for displaced people, causing secondary explosions that resulted in the deaths of civilians. This incident is currently under investigation by Israel due to international condemnation and claims from Palestinians that large bombs hit an area for displaced people.
The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to limit its military offensive in Rafah and cease any operations that may cause widespread civilian deaths and suffering. The UN experts have called for sanctions and arms embargoes against Israel due to the assault on Rafah. Thousands of troops are in the area of Rafah, Gaza City, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed during the assault.
An image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians and the slogan 'All Eyes on Rafah' has gone viral on social media with over 47 million shares. The phrase 'All Eyes on Rafah' was first used by Richard Peeperkorn, a representative of the World Health Organization, warning against Israeli forces attacking the city in February.
President Joe Biden's advisers have insisted that his embrace of Israel has resulted in the least bad outcome in the Gaza war by reining in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s impulses and preventing even worse bloodshed. However, this policy is hard to execute and harder to communicate.
Defense experts who have reviewed debris images from the Israeli airstrike that ignited a deadly fire in a camp for displaced Palestinians questioned why Israel did not use smaller, more precise weapons when so many civilians were nearby. They said the bombs used were likely U.S.-made.
Israel is under investigation for using bombs that killed 45 civilians in a displaced persons camp near Rafah, Gaza
'Israel could have used smaller, more precise weapons given the presence of civilians'
The Israeli military has released footage showing people walking near targeted buildings and tents before the blast
Accuracy
]Israel is under investigation for using bombs that killed 45 civilians in a displaced persons camp near Rafah, Gaza[
Israel had not ordered evacuations of the area despite civilians being present
Civilians believed they were safe in the area, as it was near a declared humanitarian zone
Deception
(30%)
The article implies that smaller weapons could have been used to avoid civilian deaths, but it does not provide any evidence that Israel deliberately chose not to use them. The author quotes defense experts who question why larger bombs were used in the area where civilians were present, but there is no indication that these experts have direct knowledge of Israel's decision-making process. The article also implies that the bombs used were U.S.-made based on debris images and CAGE codes found on the exploded weapons, but it does not provide any concrete evidence to support this claim. Additionally, the article uses emotional language such as 'tragically taking lives' and 'terrible, horrific, unintended consequences', which can manipulate readers' emotions.
The entire 250-pound shell and components are designed to spew fragments that can travel as far as 2,000 feet (600 meters).
Even if that confirms Israel used a small-diameter weapon, 'we also see that even limited, focused, targeted attacks designed to deal with terrorists who have killed innocent civilians that are plotting to kill more can have terrible, horrific, unintended consequences.'
The images showed a small hole where shrapnel was found.
Defense experts who have reviewed debris images from an Israeli airstrike questioned why Israel did not use smaller, more precise weapons when so many civilians were nearby.
Fallacies
(50%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states that 'two defense experts said the bombs used were likely U.S.-made 250-pound (113-kilogram) GBU-39 small-diameter bombs.' This is an appeal to the authority of these experts without providing any evidence or reasoning as to why their opinion should be trusted.
two defense experts said the bombs used were likely U.S.-made 250-pound (113-kilogram) GBU-39 small-diameter bombs.
Bias
(10%)
The article reports that defense experts question why Israel did not use smaller, more precise weapons when civilians were nearby. The experts suggest that the bombs used were likely U.S.-made and could have created a wide swath of damage with fragments traveling up to 2,000 feet (600 meters). This implies a bias towards criticizing Israel for using larger bombs near civilians, without considering the specific circumstances of the attack or alternative options available to Israel.
defense experts questioned why Israel did not use smaller, more precise weapons when so many civilians were nearby.
Even the smallest jet-launched munition may be too big when civilians are near because of how they explode and can send fragments far.
the bombs used were likely U.S.-made 250-pound (113-kilogram) GBU-39 small-diameter bombs.
An image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians and the slogan ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ has gone viral on social media with over 47 million shares.
The phrase ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ was first used by Richard Peeperkorn, a representative of the World Health Organization, warning against Israeli forces attacking the city in February.
Instagram’s ‘Add Yours’ feature has contributed to the post’s virality, allowing users to easily re-share it with their own captions and tags.
Accuracy
At least 45 people were killed in Rafah after an Israeli air strike.
Israel is under investigation for using bombs that killed 45 civilians in a displaced persons camp near Rafah, Gaza
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(85%)
The article does contain some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but overall it does not heavily rely on formal or informal fallacies. The author reports on the viral image and its impact without endorsing or dismissing its content. There are no dichotomous depictions present in the article.
The deadly incident earlier this week in Rafah led to people posting clips of Richard Peeperkorn, a representative of the World Health Organization in the occupied Palestinian territories, speaking in February... He told journalists at the time that
Bias
(80%)
The article does not demonstrate any clear bias towards or against any particular political or religious group. However, the author does use language that could be perceived as depicting one side as extreme or unreasonable when describing the counter-campaign's image of a gunman standing in front of a baby taken captive in Gaza. The phrase 'smaller counter-campaign' and 'reportedly designed by Israeli Instagram user Benjamin Jamon' could be seen as implying that the campaign is insignificant or less important than the All Eyes on Rafah campaign. Additionally, the author does not provide any context or information about the Hamas attacks on southern Israel mentioned in the counter-campaign image, which could leave readers with an incomplete understanding of the situation.
][The smaller counter-campaign] has been launched on social media in response to the All Eyes on Rafah message. An image, also created using AI, features the words: 'Where were your eyes on October 7?' referring to the Hamas attacks on southern Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 others taken hostage. The image, reportedly designed by Israeli Instagram user Benjamin Jamon, features a gunman standing in front of a baby taken captive in Gaza.[/
UN experts call for sanctions and arms embargo against Israel due to assault on Rafah.
Thousands of troops are in the area of Rafah, Gaza City.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed during the assault on Rafah.
Accuracy
One million people displaced as a result of the assault on Rafah.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting UN experts and the US State Department. No formal or informal fallacies were found.
][Decisive international action] – including sanctions and an arms embargo][/] – must be imposed on Israel over its widely condemned assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, dozens of UN experts demand.
[Israel’s attack on Rafah is not a ‘major operation’]
even though thousands of troops are in the area, dozens of Palestinians have been killed, and one million people displaced.
[The US State Department says] Israel’s attack on Rafah is not a ‘major operation’
President Joe Biden's advisers have insisted for months that his embrace of Israel has resulted in the least bad outcome in the Gaza war by reining in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s impulses and preventing even worse bloodshed.
Biden’s policy ‘is hard to execute and harder to communicate’, according to Mara Rudman, who held senior Middle East diplomatic roles in the Obama and Clinton administrations and is now a professor at the University of Virginia.
Accuracy
Israel had not ordered evacuations of the area despite civilians being present
Civilians believed they were safe in the area, as it was near a declared humanitarian zone
The bombs used were likely U.S.-made 250-pound (113-kilogram) GBU-39 small-diameter bombs
Deception
(30%)
The article contains editorializing and selective reporting. The author expresses his opinion that Biden's policy is 'hard to execute and harder to communicate' and that Israel's actions have 'catastrophic consequences'. He also quotes Samantha Power stating her opinion that Israel's actions are having 'catastrophic consequences'. These opinions are not facts, but rather the author and Power interpreting the situation. Additionally, the article selectively reports details that support the author's position, such as quoting US officials arguing for continued support of Israel and condemnation from France and Germany. It does not report on any opposing viewpoints or counterarguments.
US officials argue that they have shaped Israel’s actions behind the scenes, tempering its desire for a full-scale invasion of Rafah or for choking off the Gaza Strip completely.
Samantha Power, Biden’s chief for humanitarian aid, said on Wednesday that Israel’s actions were having ‘catastrophic consequences.’
The stance is coming under more scrutiny as harrowing scenes emerge from Gaza again and again.
Fallacies
(80%)
The author makes an appeal to authority by quoting US officials and experts in the article. However, there are also instances of inflammatory rhetoric used by the author when describing the situation in Gaza and Israel's actions. For example, 'harrowing scenes emerge from Gaza again and again', 'catastrophic consequences', 'atrocious dilemma'. These statements are not objective descriptions of the facts but rather emotional appeals that can influence readers' perceptions. Therefore, the score is 80.
]President Joe Biden's advisers have insisted for months to allies at home and abroad that his embrace of Israel has resulted in the least bad outcome in the Gaza war by reining in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impulses and preventing even worse bloodshed.[
Samantha Power, Biden’s chief for humanitarian aid, said on Wednesday that Israel’s actions were having ‘catastrophic consequences.’
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, told the Security Council Thursday that a new wave of displacement ‘will only create one more intractable problem and make a solution to this decades-long conflict impossible to find.’
Bias
(85%)
The author demonstrates bias by using language that depicts Israel as extreme or unreasonable. The author uses phrases such as 'harrowing scenes', 'fresh calls for Biden to cut off additional arms shipments', and 'Israel's actions were having catastrophic consequences.' The author also quotes others who use similar language, such as Filippo Grandi's statement that Israel is creating an 'intractable problem' and putting Gazans at risk of being forced out of the enclave. These statements are not attributed to the author, but they reflect the author's perspective because they are included in the article. The author also uses language that implies that Israel is solely responsible for the conflict, such as 'Israel's desire for a full-scale invasion of Rafah or for choking off the Gaza Strip completely.' This ignores the role of Hamas and other militant groups in perpetuating the violence. The author's bias is further demonstrated by their failure to include any quotes or perspectives from Israeli officials or supporters, while including multiple quotes from critics of Israel. The author's bias is also evident in their use of language that implies that Israel's actions are disproportionate and unjustified, such as 'high-profile mistakes involving civilian deaths.' This ignores the fact that Hamas and other militant groups deliberately use civilians as human shields, making it difficult for Israel to avoid civilian casualties. Overall, the author's bias is demonstrated by their use of language that depicts Israel as extreme or unreasonable, their failure to include any pro-Israel perspectives, and their one-sided portrayal of the conflict.
fresh calls for Biden to cut off additional arms shipments
harrowing scenes
high-profile mistakes involving civilian deaths
Israel's actions were having catastrophic consequences
Israel's desire for a full-scale invasion of Rafah or for choking off the Gaza Strip completely
putting Gazans at risk of being forced out of the enclave
