Israel Ambassador Challenges Gaza Health Ministry Data

Israel's Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter unleashed a pointed retort at NBC News anchor Kristen Welker on Meet the Press on Sunday, dismissing her citation of casualty figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry as unreliable propaganda.

Welker referenced the ministry's reported death toll while grilling Leiter on civilian casualties during Israel's operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Leiter fired back: "Kristen, you just quoted the Gaza Health Ministry. That’s like quoting MS-13 Social Welfare Ministry."

The analogy, equating the ministry to the brutal Salvadoran gang MS-13, quickly went viral via the Washington Free Beacon's X post.

Leiter's jab underscores Israel's longstanding critique of the ministry's data: Operated by Hamas since 2007, it has inflated civilian deaths, ignored combatant casualties, and served as a PR tool, manipulating the figures for narrative gain.

The full interview delved into ceasefire prospects, with Leiter, appointed ambassador in early 2025 by PM Netanyahu, insisting on Hamas's full disarmament: "We won't stop until the threat is neutralized."

Welker challenged on humanitarian aid blockages, but Leiter's zinger dominated headlines, fueling memes and op-eds on media bias in conflict reporting.