Confusion Over Gaza Hospital Blast Shows Challenge for Journalists Covering Israel-Hamas Conflict
On Tuesday, the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal put out alerts saying a blast at a Gaza hospital was caused by an Israeli airstrike, killing more than 500 people, citing Palestinian officials. It soon became clear the story wasn’t going to end there. Israel denied it was responsible.
Over the hours, headlines were tweaked, new alerts went out, and by Wednesday, both news organizations were reporting that Israel and the U.S. government said evidence suggested the blast was caused by a Palestinian group. Reporting during wartime is always challenging—from managing physical-safety risks to sorting through disinformation.
The confusion in newsrooms over the blast at the Gaza hospital, which journalists couldn’t access, was a prime example of the challenge—as a sensitive story line took dramatic turns with new facts coming to light. “During any breaking news event, we report what we know as we learn it," a Times spokesman said. “And as the facts on the ground become more clear, we continue reporting.
Our extensive and continued reporting on the hospital in Gaza makes explicit the murkiness surrounding the events there." A spokeswoman for the Journal had no comment on the Gaza hospital blast coverage. Other major news organizations also attributed the blast to an Israeli airstrike in their initial reporting, citing Palestinian officials. It is difficult for news organizations to verify information in a war zone, including claims made by combatants about the damage they’ve suffered or inflicted.
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