Within minutes, the “Gaza Ministry of Health,” which is Hamas with a legitimate sounding name as Hamas is the only government in town in Gaza, announced that Israel bombed Al Alhi Hospital, killing 200-300.

Upon seeing this, one tragedy was obvious. The deaths of hundreds in a hospital was horrifying, regardless of who dropped the bomb. But Israel? That made no sense. It advanced no interest, legitimate or otherwise, and was ridiculously counterproductive is it would enrage the world and cause a seismic shift against Israel. It would be crazy to target a hospital, and Israel’s weapons were exact enough that, while it was possible that it was a mistake or accident, it seemed highly unlikely.

But there is was, the headline of the New York Times.

As of this writing, the New York Times headline reads

Early U.S. and Israeli Intelligence Says Palestinian Group Caused Hospital Blast

U.S. officials cautioned that the analysis is preliminary and that the United States was continuing to collect and analyze evidence.

Even now, the New York Times can’t bring itself to admit that its initial reaction was to uncritically publish Hamas propaganda, and that its continued attempt to equivocate (U.S. officials “cautioned,” as if there was any evidence whatsoever raising any doubt that it was not done by Israel?) reflects either an inability to admit fault or pandering to the left wing monster created by Hamas’ lie and the Grey Lady’s enabling.

In the meantime, Palestinian rioters in Beirut attacked the United States Embassy for being Israel’s ally. The middle east is aflame with even more hatred than before against Israel for bombing a hospital and murdering 500 people, even though it was the Islamic Jihad, a small terrorist group in Gaza working with Hamas, who caused the explosion and fire, and estimates are now that maybe 100 people died.

The presidents of Jordan and Israel changed plans to meet with President Biden.

In the United States, hundreds of Jewish protesters stormed the Cannon Office Building rotunda to protest, demanding a ceasefire.

Is it even possible that the Gaza Ministry of Health just made up a lie that served Hamas’ interest and the media ate it up, spewed it out and caused a fundamental shift in public sentiment against Israel?

The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than that needed to produce it.

–Brandolini’s Law

Senator Hiram Johnson was right when he said “The first casualty, when war comes, is truth,” but the certainty with which media spread this lie reflected what can only be characterized as a zeal to find an equivalence between the rape and murder by Hamas and Israel’s murder of hundreds in a Gaza hospital, validating the dubious progressive cries that it was Israel, not Hamas, who was entirely to blame. Brandolino underestimated the degree of energy needed, as the shift in sentiment against Israel was immediate, massive and, from all indications, conclusive.

Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel. Hamas continues to hold those hostages it hasn’t killed. Hamas lied about Israel being responsible for bombing a hospital and murdering 500 people. And Israel is to blame. Even the New York Times says so.