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Monday, July 21, 2014

Carnage Continues: Monday Updates on Gaza-Israel

Great photo, left. of silent protest in Tokyo.

Jon Stewart tonight responds, sort of, to pro-Israel critics who knocked his coverage (though modest) last week.

Tonight's Jodi Rudoren stenography from Jerusalem--gets to 19 killed from one Gaza family in, oh, 17th paragraph.  Before that she points to success of mission via  higher body count than previous one.  No matter what the bodies are.   In her view, Israel just trying to destroy tunnels, you know.  It's world leaders concerned about lopsided casualty count who are the real stinkers.

More from @RichardEngel of NBC just now (7 p.m. ET):  "One of fathers of boys killed on gaza beach says his house attacked by israeli forces."   Also notes hospitals overwhelmed.  And:  "Gaza death toll: 570. Among them 150 children, 70 women."

It's gotten lost in the death count lately as dead on the Israeli side has shifted to the military side, but what about the civilian casualities from those thousands of Hamas rockets?  Well, the count remains at....two.  One was a Bedouin outside the Iron Dome who is not even recognized, normally, as an Israeli.  With about 80% of the more than 500 dead on the Gaza side estimated to be civilians, that puts the current civilian dead ratio at about 200-1.  

Richard Engel of NBC tweets at mid-afternoon:   "Several bodies thrown out of gaza building by Israeli blast. Rescuer workers, volunteers enter. Building crumbles on top of them....Bulldozers had to clear path to building to allow ambulances to approach it. Many were near when building came down. apartment building....Gaza city ‘Salam tower’ collapse. Witnesses say 20 dead. some still under rubble."  One of his followers, Stand With Israel, responds:  "GOOD JOB . SO HAPPY."

Earlier Engel has provided some much-needed background:  "palestinians say the closure of gaza a big reason for this. years without being able to travel, do business. frustration pent up, exploding." 

NBC's Ayman Muhyeldin tweets:  " military says 25 soldiers have been killed since ground invasion began 4 days ago. In the 3 week 2008 war it lost 6 soldiers."

Horrifying  photo or video image left purportedly shows huge Israeli bomb about to strike house, and others images then show rubble aftermath.

Reports that hospital hit by numerous Israeli strikes even as patients being evacuated, at least 5 killed and 70 wounded.  Photos.

Anti-war activists getting beaten up...in Tel Aviv.  Reporter for Jewish Daily Forward is outraged.

American nurse writes about her work in Gaza--and that 40% of her cases are children under five. 

Unlike the paper's two main correspondents in the area, who have largely offered stenography from Israel, Anne Barnard of the NYT, who is based in Beirut,  has been providing strong coverage from Gaza.  Here's her report on Gazans having nowhere-to-run.

Four more killed Monday in shelling of hospital.  24 reportedly killed from the Abu Jamaa family in Khan Younis.

Short video covers staggering U.S. aid to Israel (more than half of our foreign aid).



Terrific new piece by Israeli writer who answers demands by friends there about why they should be for ending attacks on Gaza, even unilaterally.  She offers one reason after another, including why it's not just the moral choice--but very much in Israel's best interest.  

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