In Israel, the topic of whether the country is committing genocide in Gaza is not widely discussed. Many Israelis focus on the return of hostages following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Israeli media provide limited coverage of the events in Gaza. However, historian Lee Mordechai notes a gradual shift in public debate.
He has compiled a database of photos, videos, articles, and reports documenting the situation in Gaza. Initially, Mordechai did not believe genocide was occurring, but his perspective changed as he gathered more evidence.
The database categorizes examples into areas such as ethnic cleansing and the dehumanization of Palestinians, including images of Israeli soldiers mistreating Palestinians. Mordechai and some other academics, although a minority in Israel, believe that genocide is happening.
Many Israelis support the military’s actions to defeat Hamas and retrieve hostages, viewing their army as morally superior. Mordechai hopes the public debate will continue to evolve, emphasizing the need to end the conflict rather than debating the definition of genocide.
His database aims to document the situation in Gaza comprehensively.
Source: NOS