Battle Lines Famine denials, dead journalists and disinformation: the war on truth in Israel
Aug 29, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Tess Ingram from UNICEF sheds light on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, revealing troubling truths about famine and malnutrition. Phil Chetwynd, from AFP, addresses the severe dangers journalists face in conflict zones, including targeted attacks that often silence voices of truth. Tal Hagin, an expert in information warfare, highlights the disinformation campaigns complicating accurate reporting. Together, they dissect the Israeli government's responses to these critical issues and the urgent need for international accountability.
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Information Vacuum Shapes The Story
- Israel's restrictions and assaults have greatly reduced independent verification inside Gaza, creating an information vacuum.
- That vacuum enables competing narratives and widespread doubt about basic facts on the ground.
Famine Declaration And Immediate Denial
- The IPC reported a quarter of a million people in famine in Gaza City and called it man-made.
- Israeli officials labelled the report a "modern blood libel" and accused organisations of laundering Hamas lies.
IPC Declaration Uses Established Criteria
- The IPC judged Gaza's famine using longstanding global technical standards and declared it man-made.
- Its finding rested on destroyed local production, import limits and mass displacement.