(NewsNation) — Founder of Mo News Mosheh Oinounou joined NewsNation on Tuesday to discuss how the American media is verifying information on the Israel-Hamas war.
“Sometimes confirmation doesn’t travel as fast as the first tweet, as the first Instagram post,” Oinounou said during an appearance on “NewsNation Now.” “I think there’s a tendency by people: They want certainty immediately. … This is not a black-and-white situation.”
Oinounou said that generally speaking, Americans “don’t trust what they see” in the mainstream media. He is a former CBS Evening News executive producer with a similar vision to NewsNation. Mo News claims to cover “Just the facts. We read between the lines so you don’t have to.”
On Tuesday, a massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said.
Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants.
In a digital-first world, Oinounou said that it’s important to hear what both sides are saying but to make sure you ask who the news is benefiting.
“One of the things that struck me when it came to this hospital attack… Biden (was set) to go to Israel to show his alliance … The last thing Israel would want is to strike a hospital, with a bunch of civilians. … I think it’s important for people to say, ‘OK, who does this benefit? Who does this hurt?’ And be able to just take that pause, which is so difficult these days.”
Oinounou also pointed out that journalists have a difficult time reporting in Gaza due to Hamas censorship.
“Access is controlled by that authority. So ultimately, there that is a challenge in getting reliable information,” Oinounou said.
Biden’s visit in part aimed to prevent the war from sparking a broader regional conflict. Violence flared Tuesday along Israel’s border with Lebanon, where Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants operate.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
