Everyone has been lining up to accuse Israel of causing an intentional, imminent famine for months. While the war has certainly caused hardships for Palestinians, there was never any evidence to support a famine.
Not only that, but the content Gazans have been posting doesn’t support this reality.
"Honest Reporting" is a watchdog with no responsibility to journalistic integrity. It has no motivation to seek opposing POVs. It should be shared with caution, despite the cute name.
Food insecurity varies in intensity in all regional analysis, explaining how an abundance of readily accessible videos of starvation sit alongside food shots & why Israelis have had to push back on local extremists (even Knesset) blocking aid. Life is always more complicated than any watchdog will admit.
Just sharing this because I know you're very robust when it comes to tackling mis- and disinformation in many fields.
I know this one hits close to home, because you are fighting for Israel's future, but I hope it's still clear that using a source like that one as *the* definitive statement on this situation will undermine the credibility of your assertions.
Watchdogs and advocacy groups are best used in a more comprehensive data assessment environment.
@MLClark actually I don't have a dog in the fight
And I take your point about honest reporting
That said they aren't the only source for the famine being false reporting
report issued quietly earlier this month by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification’s Famine Review Committee
https://counter.social/@ecksmc/112668238144135281
we now know there is no famine in Gaza.
The report I screencapped in the above images is from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification's Famine Review Committee, released June 25. As they illustrate, different zones have different levels of crisis.
I always prefer to look at the original data, and look at how it's being spun by different sources. The article you linked is "spin" as well. There are children dying of malnutrition. Not 2-4 per 100,000 per day yet, but enough that people want to avoid it getting worse.
I've mentioned this a few times, but truth is not owed to anyone in war. Key actors in conflict will *always* put mission goals first, and those who want to support them will take up the cause. This isn't a shock-value statement: it's pragmatic.
Some people also genuinely feel that lying now *is* for the better good. When the war is won, everything will be better! Ergo, the sooner it's won, the better for everyone! You can't beat that mentality with data. It's humanity, baby!
@MLClark @ecksmc I spent over a decade w/information literacy in my portfolio at the college level. I truly don't know what to do about this issue. The ancient adage that lies are easier/faster than truth holds. Is it based on something biological? Does the brain readily accept new information out of glucose economy? Can we hand out energy drinks is what I'm wondering.