The Rotten Core in the Narrative of the Hostage Rescue

Aren’t All the Gazan People not the True Target of this Israeli Mission?

Yeah, This Hostage Rescue Specialist is Exactly What Didn’t Happen [Photo by Dominik Sostmann on Unsplash}

What is the difference between a hostage rescue and a full-on slaughter? It’s important and not just name calling amid the fog of the Israeli-Palestinian War. Is what happened on February 12th in Rafah, in the refugee camps a “hostage rescue” attempt, or a blatant disregard for human life?

The Israelis and the press use this “hostage rescue narrative,” as the Israelis are known for the “elite commando” special forces that plan and commit to hostage rescue in America. To some older people, they can recall the Israelis breaking into a plane on the runway and rescuing Israeli citizens with only killing the hostage takers. In other words, this hostage rescue narrative recalls a type of Hollywood “clean” rescue. It’s got American Special Forces/Navy Seal kill Bin Laden Bravado written all over it.

But that is not what is happening. The Israelis did not move forward in such a clean way when you read the description of the February 12 attack, which is quite graphic. Just a couple notes that I don’t like “IDF” which eliminates word Israel, so you don’t have to articulate who is doing the attack; nor do I like the word “raid” as it evokes a quick in and out type of operation that is justified for it’s used of force to “rescue” someone…