CNN started referring to "Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry" when citing casualties, Israel haters are livid

One of the small but important victories for truth during the Gaza fighting came from CNN, when it issued this internal memo on May 17:

Superdesk Guidance on Gaza Fatalities

We need to be transparent about the fact the Ministry of Health in Gaza is run by Hamas. Consequently, when we cite latest casualty numbers in attribute to the Health Ministry in Gaza, we need to include the fact it is Hamas-run.

As an example: “Latest figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health put the number of fatalities at…”

From Andrew Carey and Calvin Sims

It is of course entirely accurate to say that Hamas runs the Health Ministry and that the casualty figures are subject to Hamas approval. For example, the Health Ministry seems not to have included most dead terrorists in its figures, making it appear that nearly all of the dead were civilians. Hamas has been censoring nearly all mentions of its dead fighters, which Israel estimates to be around 200. (If the cease fire holds, expect headlines next week that scores of "civilians" buried under the rubble were discovered.)

Someone at CNN was apparently so upset at a memo asking for transparency that they leaked this memo to Al Jazeera, where Senior Presenter and Producer Dena Takruti tweeted the incredible lie that this makes the Health Ministry a target for Israel:

 This @CNN  internal memo directs staff to say “Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health” when reporting casualty numbers. It was sent by the Jerusalem bureau chief. 

This is a page straight out of Israel’s playbook. It serves to justify the attack on civilians & medical facilities

Other stupid takes followed:

It needs to be repeated that, regardless of whether you agree with them ideologically and regardless of whether the US, Israel, and their allies call them “terrorists,” Hamas is The Government in Gaza. This means that they are responsible for providing all municipal and local services. By declaring them a “terrorist organization,” any and all schools, hospitals, water treatment facilities, etc. are therefore transformed through some strange alchemy into legitimate military targets.

Apparently someone thinks that Israel makes targeting decisions based on CNN's nomenclature.

It is instructive to see how many Israel haters were incensed at this memo - meaning that they agree that all casualty figures for Gaza be silently filtered through Hamas. 

Which goes to show how little regard for the truth Al Jazeera has, and how widespread support for Hamas is among a certain crowd.

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