Part of the article:
During the rescue raid, the Israeli military said it carried out large-scale airstrikes as a diversion to provide cover to the special forces. Palestinian men, women and children were killed - more than 70, according to Gaza health officials. I asked Luis Har about it.
Har: I don't know. It's not my business. The military can answer you. I see that most of the people there are Hamas. They don't intend to pet us and to love us, and I have no mercy toward them at the moment.
Yes, an NPR journalist is asking a former hostage whether he thinks it is fair that he is free now because of the supposed death toll.
Essentially, Estrin berated a senior citizen to make him feel guilty that his freedom is at the expense of women and children. And he got his answer - this soulless Jew doesn't give a damn.
There is no independent evidence that any women and children were killed in Rafah that day.
The reports that women and children were among the killed in the air raids comes from the health ministry which comes from Hamas.
UN-OCHA describes major airstrikes and always includes women and children when they are known or reported. Their descriptions from February 12 in Rafah at the time of the rescue in early morning - 8 different strikes in different areas of Rafah - do not mention any women and children among the 55 they counted:
The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 12 February:At about 6:00, 15 Palestinians, including children, were reportedly killed, and several others injured, when a residential building in southern Deir al Balah was struck.At about 1:50, 11 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in the Yibna area of southern Rafah, was struck.At about 1:55, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens other injured, when a residential building in Tal Asl Sultan area, in western Rafah, was struck.At about 2:00, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building near Al Falah Mosque, in northern Rafah, was struck.At about 2:00, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others were injured, when a residential building in Al Adis area, in northeastern Rafah, was struck.At about 2:00, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Ash Shouka area, in southern Rafah, was struck.At about 2:10, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in An Nasser area, in southern Rafah, was struck.At about 2:40, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Al Junina area, in southern Rafah, was struck.Aat about 2:45, ten Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Bader area, in southern Rafah, was struck.
The day after they report women and children killed in airstrikes, and the days before they do as well. It is actually unusual for so many airstrikes in a row not to mention women and children (or journalists or health workers) as being killed in UN-OCHA's reporting. This indicates that OCHA's original reports from the scenes did not include anyone but adult males, and Hamas added the women and children afterwards when reporters asked them.
It looks like Hamas juiced up the information to add women and children "victims" when they realized that these raids accompanied the rescue, which was an embarrassment for them.
(h/t Irene)
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