Shaping our views of a growing war
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations, killing hundreds and taking captives. Palestinian health officials reported hundreds of deaths from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
So, what’s a reporter to do when he or she can’t independently verify what a source is saying? Often, they rely on sources with whom they have a past relationship and a proven history of accuracy. That’s no guarantee they’re not being lied to, but, until proven otherwise, reporters usually trust those sources. When I was a reporter I would tell a source, “Lie to me once and I will never trust what you say again.
Now, with the counterattack by Israel from the air and on the ground in Gaza, Hamas is releasing body counts daily, asserting that many if not most are children. We’ve seen video of injured and dead children. But does anyone really know the numbers? Israel does not deny that civilians have been killed in its effort to “destroy” Hamas and its leadership. I argue we should not trust Hamas figures because Hamas has proven repeatedly it is willing to lie.
The New York Times corrected its original account as to the source of the explosion and the body count, but it was too late. From the start the paper needed to immediately qualify what Hamas said, or at a minimum state the information could not be verified.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israel-Hamas war: Israel claims responsibility to an attack on an ambulance outside hospital in GazaIsrael claimed responsibility for an attack on an ambulance that was outside of a hospital in Gaza.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Blinken arrives in Israel; Israeli military describes 'lengthy battle' in GazaU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel comes as clashes between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hamas continue in Gaza.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: U.S. warns Israel as civilian casualties mount in Gaza• Israel's ground assault continued Friday with troops tightening their 'encirclement' around Gaza City, an IDF spokesman said.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas War: House approves over $14 billion Israel aid packageThe House has passed a $14.5 billion military aid package for Israel, according to The Associated Press. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Blinken raises concerns over Palestinian civilians caught in GazaThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
Iran, WMDs Are 'Red Lines' for US to Enter Israel-Hamas WarAmerican forces are already on the ground in Israel conducting unspecified operations as the IDF steps up its ground invasion of Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas terror massacre, but military analysts expect U.S. troops to play just a supporting role – if Iran remains out of the fray.
Read more »