The missing terrorists: Lee Mordechai’s distorted Gaza narrative

An article from JNS criticizes historian Lee Mordechai's Haaretz op-ed, accusing him of narrative manipulation and omissions regarding the conflict in Gaza. The author argues that Mordechai's piece, titled “The crimes committed in Gaza are known, but Israelis prefer to forget them: Here is a reminder,” distorts facts by laundering Hamas-supplied statistics, stripping defensive military actions of context, and misrepresenting international judicial proceedings.

• The article refutes Mordechai's claims about the International Court of Justice (ICJ), noting that the court "never found a plausible claim that Israel is committing genocide" and rejected South Africa’s demand for an immediate halt to military operations.
• It challenges the casualty figures cited by Mordechai, stating they originate from the Hamas Ministry of Health, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and lack independent verification. The author highlights the omission of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fatalities, and the inclusion of 15-17 year olds, who are often terror operatives, in the "children" category.
• The piece also contests claims of mass starvation and systematic destruction of Gaza's healthcare system, explaining that Hamas militarized hospitals and built extensive military infrastructure under civilian areas, making surface destruction inevitable and facilities legitimate targets under international law.