Media Reacts to Israel Rescuing Hostages… And It’s Predictably Awful

Plus: What I’m Reading This Week

In Today’s BRIGHT

Media Reacts to Israel Rescuing Hostages… And It’s Predictably Awful
What I’m Reading This Week
Substack Spotlight: Common Men, Common Heroes
Americans’ Commute Getting Longer
More Weekend Reads
A Case of the Mondays

Media Reacts to Israel Rescuing Hostages… And It’s Predictably Awful

RedState highlighted some media's reaction to Israel's amazing rescue of four hostages from Hamas. The joint operation by Israeli forces in Nuseirat, where hostages were found in civilian homes, led to a firefight in a civilian area. The media, instead of questioning why hostages were held in civilian areas, criticized Israel for the Palestinian casualties reported by Hamas.

The article points to this exchange on the BBC as the reporter tried to get Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF spokesman, to criticize Israel:

REPORTER: Jonathan, there is concern about the death toll among Palestinians. Do you think Israeli forces anticipated the level of casualties incurred? 

CONRICUS: Yeah, I think the whole civilian issue here needs to be analyzed impartially and understood. According to the reports that I have gotten and also to the testimonies and even statements made by Hamas spokesperson, the Israeli hostages were held and jailed by Palestinian civilians in a Palestinian civilian area, and as regrettable as any loss of life is, I think that we would have to investigate, really, who were the people who jailed these Israeli civilians for eight months, why did they do it, what was the role of the surrounding community and the hundreds, if not thousands of Palestinians who, for sure, were aware of the fact that the Israeli hostages were being held in their midst, and why were they complicit with Hamas?

The idiotic reporter pressed on:

REPORTER: Jonathan, we don't know that they were necessarily complicit with Hamas. All of the casualties that were incurred, there were reports of women, of children who are among the dead. It is appearing to be a high civilian death toll. Would there have been a warning to those civilians for them to get out on time. 

CONRICUS: For sure, of course we can not anticipate Israel to be warning ahead of a raid to extract or to save hostages because then, what the terrorists would do is kill the hostages, and that would defeat the purpose. So of course, we can not expect that. 

Likewise, The Washington Post led with the headline, “More than 200 Palestinians killed in Israeli hostage raid in Gaza.”

Jazz Shaw at Hot Air also noted CNN’s initial report:

CNN initially took a very different approach during a segment featuring Victor Blackwell and Ian Bremmer. A chyron appeared during the segment declaring, "Gantz postpones news conference after hostage release." Pardon me? Did you say... "release?" Hamas didn't release anyone. The IDF undertook a bloody, dangerous mission to retrieve those four hostages and slay the monsters who had been holding them as prisoners and terrorizing them for eight months. One soldier died as a result of the effort.

These media representations of the rescue of hostages hold Israel responsible for the casualties caused by the actions of Hamas holding hostage in civilian areas. When faced with the choice to side with good over evil, why do they always choose evil?

RELATED: How They Did It—Inside the Israelis' Daring Raid to Rescue Hamas Hostages (RedState)

What I’m Reading This Week

I may not be on the beach, but I’m ready for a beach read. This week, I’m reading Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins. The name drew me in 😉 From the description:

Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist.

Things aren’t going so well.

For one, the guy didn’t work out. Theoretically, she’d love to find someone else, but it hasn’t happened. Two, she’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up.

Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice.