12 hours ago
Israeli officials accused of 'hypocrisy' over Iranian strike that hit hospital
Social media platforms erupted on Thursday, following Israel's condemnation of an Iranian missile strike on Soroka hospital in Beersheba, southern Israel, which the Israeli government labelled a war crime.
The Israeli government described the attack as a deliberate violation of international law, citing the targeting of a civilian medical facility.
But the condemnation was met with swift backlash online, where many accused Israel of hypocrisy.
הקו האדום נחצה.
המשטר הדיקטטורי מטהרן עבר את הגבול ופועל כמו ארגון טרור ברברי. הירי למרכז הרפואי ״סורוקה״ ולעבר אוכלוסיה אזרחית הוא פשע מלחמה מתועב.
מדינת ישראל, יחד עם שותפינו בעולם החופשי, מחויבים ונחושים לשים לזה סוף אחת ולתמיד. — Uriel Busso-אוריאל בוסו (@BussoUriel) June 19, 2025
Translation: The red line has been crossed. The dictatorial regime in Tehran has crossed the line and is acting like a barbaric terrorist organisation. The shooting at the Soroka Medical Centre and the civilian population is a heinous war crime. The State of Israel, together with our partners in the free world, are committed and determined to put an end to this once and for all.
People on social media pointed out that for nearly two years, Israeli forces have systematically dismantled Gaza's healthcare system - bombing hospitals, raiding emergency wards, and forcing medical staff and patients to evacuate under fire.
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For two years, the Israeli Medical Association and its ethics committee have said nothing about Israel's systematic destruction of Gaza's healthcare system, including the annihilation of 35 hospitals, the killing of babies in incubators, and patients in their hospital beds. 1/3 — Ghada Majadli غادة مجادلة (@GMajadli) June 19, 2025
'If attacking a hospital is a war crime, then the radical Jewish extremists are the greatest war criminals. Of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip, only 9 remain operational, all the others having been destroyed by Israeli bombing.' Another added, 'If this is a war crime then so are the IDF's actions bombing every hospital in Gaza,' another person wrote.
As of May of this year, just 19 of Gaza's 36 hospitals remain operational, with at least 94 percent of all hospitals in the besieged enclave damaged or destroyed, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO recorded 697 attacks on healthcare infrastructure by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
"If this is a war crime then so are the idfs actions bombing every hospital in gaza," another added.
🚨 Reality check:
Netanyahu,
- You bombed Al-Shifa Hospital, killing patients and doctors.
- Flattened Indonesian Hospital, where even ambulances were hit.
- Struck Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, where babies died in incubators.
- Turned Nasser Medical Complex into rubble.
Children… — زماں (@Delhiite_) June 19, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the incident, posting a video from the hospital site. 'We accurately hit nuclear targets and missile targets, and they hit a hospital, where people can't even get up and run away. They are harming not far from here - there is a children's and infants' ward here,' he said.
A social media user responded, 'Coming from the war criminal who: Bombed 35 hospitals in Gaza. Bombed 2 hospitals in Iran. Bombed 40 Hospitals in Lebanon. You have no self awareness and also the hospital itself was not bombed by Iran, stop placing military facilities near your hospitals.'
It is hypocritical for Benjamin Netanyahu to declare the recent bombing of an Israeli hospital by Iran as a war crime when in the first two months of Israel's bombing of Gaza CNN identified 20 out of 22 hospitals as being damaged or completely destroyed. — Pismo Clam (@WaveRambler) June 19, 2025
Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said on X that "the evil Iranian regime had crossed all moral lines".
One person on X replied, 'You and your equals are the most evil thing that we witness unfortunately. Your evilness can be seen first in Gaza when your evil government destroyed all the hospitals there. Bombing a hospital is evil yes, but look first in the mirror before barking for sympathy…'
Many users also took aim at Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, accusing him of hypocrisy after he said "[Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei will be held accountable for his actions'.
Others turned their focus to what they perceived as glaring bias in western media coverage, particularly the stark contrast in how outlets report on Israeli versus Palestinian suffering.
Many pointed out that while the strike on Soroka hospital was immediately framed as a deliberate attack by Iran, coverage of Israel's repeated bombings of Gaza's hospitals was often muddled with vague qualifiers or unverified framing.
Irish journalist Barry Malone wrote, "The difference between the reporting on a hospital being hit in Israel and the reporting on hospitals being hit in Gaza is a such a striking example of Western media bias. Genuinely could be taught in journalism school."
The Palestinian writer and journalist Hamza Yusuf also pointed out the difference in tone, posting: 'No 'health officials say'? No 'according to locals'? No 'Likud-run health ministry claims'? Interesting.'
Others argued that Israel had itself paved the way for this moment - that the very normalisation of hospital bombings was a direct result of its own military campaign in Gaza.
