Washington Post Withdraws Cartoon of Hamas Leader Following Strong Critique

Article by Caleb Ecarma

After much criticism for perpetuating racist stereotypes, The Washington Post opinion page withdrew a cartoon on Wednesday. This cartoon portrayed a Hamas leader in the act of using human shields. David Shipley, the Post's opinion editor, wrote in a note to his readers, "I initially saw the drawing as a caricature of a specific individual, the spokesperson for Hamas, who was applauding attacks on unprotected civilians in Israel. However, I came to realize I overlooked a substantial and contentious issue based on the responses to the image, and for that, I am regretful."

The controversial cartoon, drawn by conservative illustrator Michael Ramirez, displays a Hamas representative with an emphasized nose and bared teeth, sheltering behind a Palestinian female and several children. The caption inside the illustration has the representative saying: "How dare Israel attack civilians."

Several critical letters were received by the editor leading up to Shipley's note, with the editor publishing a few of those responses below his note. One correspondent, a religious scholar from Princeton University, deemed the cartoon as "a significantly racist representation of the ‘heathen’ and his grossly inhumane actions toward women and children." Another letter pointed out that the cartoon tried "to justify Israel's war crimes."

Remi Kanazi, a Palestinian American poet, summarized the incident in an Instagram post, stating, "This is The Washington Post. It is okay to publish such anti-Palestinian racism."

The cartoon, posted on both the Post's website and in its Tuesday print versions, recited a provocative excuse frequently cited by the Israeli government in the event of bombarding Gaza's civilian infrastructure. The Israeli military has made recent declarations implying "senior Hamas political and military personnel were seeking refuge in hospital, especially the Shifa Hospital"; the biggest healthcare center in Gaza that had previously been subjected to several Israeli attacks. However, both Hamas and Shifa staff have refuted assertions that the hospital has been utilized as a control center by Hamas members, as per the Associated Press.

In retaliation to an incursion carried out by Hamas on 7th October, primarily aimed at civilians in southern Israel which resulted in about 1,400 fatalities and around 240 hostage situations, Israel launched another assault on Gaza, according to Israeli officials. The countereffort by Israeli army culminated in nearly 11,000 deaths, comprising roughly 4,400 children and 2,900 women, as per the health ministry of the concerned region. A high-ranking official from the Biden administration stated on Wednesday that the actual death toll could be even "higher than the numbers being reported."