The New York Times blames itself, admitting that in its initial reporting on the hospital explosion in Gaza last week it “relied too heavily on Hamas’ claims without making sufficiently clear that they could not be immediately verified.” This is what we read in an editorial in which the American newspaper criticizes itself for making the headline on October 17 last year with Hamas’s accusations against the Israelis over the explosion that left hundreds dead and injured.
Israel rejected that responsibility and pointed the finger at a missile fired by Islamic Jihad – and provided evidence of it: The newspaper points out that “Americans and other international officials have said that the evidence suggests the missile was from Palestinian positions came”.
The Times admits that it “should have taken more care in its initial presentation and been clearer about what information could be verified.” Because – he concludes – the originally reported news “gave readers a false impression of what was known and how credible” the version was. The Times’ self-critical note comes on the same day that the newspaper writes that Hamas has not yet received any evidence or reconstructions that could support the allegations against Israel over the hospital bombing.
In response to a question from the American newspaper, Hamas admitted that it had not been able to locate any ammunition at the bombed site.
A senior official from Gaza’s ruling organization said the rocket that hit the hospital “dissolved like salt in water” and vaporized. The local health ministry also did not provide information supporting the reported death toll (471). Israel reported that an Islamic Jihad rocket that hit the hospital missed its target.