At least 40 killed in Israeli strike on tent camp in Gaza humanitarian zone, Palestinians say
NBCSep 24
Report: Israel Dropped 2K-Pound Bombs on Gaza Humanitarian Zone
Above: People remove possessions from their homes following Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on April 13, 2024. Image copyright: Ahmad Hasaballah/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Citing three military experts, The New York Times has reported that Israel likely used 2K-pound bombs — which can cause wide civilian casualties over several hundred feet — to strike a humanitarian zone for displaced people in Al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Tuesday, killing 19.
After analyzing footage of about 50-foot-wide craters and shell fragments following the attack, the experts said that the dimensions of the craters and weapons fragments found at the scene are consistent with the tail section of a SPICE 2000 guidance kit used with 2K-pound bombs.
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
The extensive, indiscriminate use of the highly accurate 2K-pound bomb in densely populated areas designated as safe zones is cruel and amounts to crimes against humanity. Israel has been deliberately trapping Palestinians into "humanitarian zones" only to execute them en masse using the most destructive bombs. Israel has been lying about targeting Hamas militants to excuse these heinous crimes — but killing women and children is never justified. The silence and complete disregard for these massacres is shameful.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel's use of heavy munitions is limited and necessary to eliminate Hamas. The Israeli military follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm. However, for Israel to persuasively declare victory, it must target and destroy Hamas' infrastructure. The conventional wisdom about the 2K-pound bombs is misguided and unfair. The war is inherently destructive; however, vilifying Israel's use of these bombs would result in more destruction and thousands of lost lives and drag the war.