Even those who don’t closely follow international coverage of the Gaza war likely noticed a shocking headline in a British newspaper on Wednesday, not one typically hostile to Israel. It’s hard to blame British readers for thinking Israel deliberately starves Gaza’s population when such headlines offer no balance or context.
This isn’t just irresponsible journalism; it’s the result of a state capable of tracking every Iranian general’s movements yet unable to manage a basic public relations campaign. Lies and spin fill the void, exploiting the genuinely dire situation of a war against a brutal terrorist group.
Israel stumbles even in simpler cases, like the international outcry after an IDF strike near the Holy Family Church, Gaza’s only Catholic church, last Thursday. The strike, targeting armed Hamas operatives in a densely populated area, unintentionally hit the church, killing several civilians, including women and children, according to reports.
Condemnations poured in from world leaders, including the Pope, who couldn’t ignore an attack on a sacred Catholic site. Even U.S. President Donald Trump, who rarely comments on Gaza’s civilian suffering, called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding an official response.
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It took 12 hours for the IDF to issue a brief statement. By then, the narrative was set and public perception was fixed. A week later, on Tuesday, the IDF released findings, claiming the church was hit by “errant fire” during a targeted strike on terrorists, with adjustments made to improve precision and guidelines tightened for firing near sensitive sites like religious buildings. It was a solid response, but six days too late— an eternity in PR terms.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while real, demands accuracy to debate what’s moral and what isn’t. Yet in 2025, Israel’s problem remains systemic, not tactical. Despite endless talk shows, budgets poured into new offices and countless incidents, public perception is treated as a luxury, not a necessity.
When Israel fails to counter the starvation narrative—a mix of facts and falsehoods—others speak for it. Why doesn’t the IDF spokesperson release daily English updates on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, beyond Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution zones?
Why isn’t there an immediate, clear response to every incident? Where is the national public diplomacy authority? Why doesn’t an official face cameras weekly with data and answers?
Why don’t the Foreign Ministry and IDF post daily videos to counter the “starvation” claim, showing aid routes and Hamas’s cynical tactics? Where is Netanyahu, a master communicator, on this issue? And who thought a video of Palestinians scrambling for food, with the IDF not shooting, was a smart move?
Yossi YehoshuaOnly on Monday did the IDF, belatedly, deploy a drone to film goods from over 700 aid trucks near the Kerem Shalom border crossing, blocked by Hamas and the UN. War is horrific, especially for uninvolved civilians bearing its consequences.
But the complexity of Gaza’s crisis, far beyond what international media portrays, makes Israel’s failure to engage inexcusable. It’s not even halfway across the field—it’s not even playing. How can anyone win like this?