Do Gaza children die or get killed?

2011
03.22

Compare and contrast:

‘Gaza: Children die in Israeli attack, say doctors’  [1]

 ‘Four Killed, 31 Injured by Israeli Attacks Targeting Gaza’ [2]

According to the BBC, ‘Israel apologised for the civilian casualties’ – so that’s OK then! – ‘but said it would defend itself against rocket fire from Gaza, which has increased in recent days’ – the BBC, as ever, keen to stress that Israel was merely retaliating.

‘More than 1,000 Gazans lost their lives during the 22-day offensive (Operation Cast Lead). Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed.’

Again, a glaring juxtaposition: ‘lost their lives’ and ‘killed’. Is this a not-very-subtle attempt to portray Palestinians as inherently more aggressive than Israelis, whose ‘legitimate’ actions lead to ‘mistakes’?

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12822493

[2] http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9753

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