Confusion over Gaza hospital blast shows challenge for journalists covering Israel-Hamas conflict

New York Times, Washington Post issue guidelines over how to describe Hamas and Oct. 7 attack on Israel

Posted Thursday, October 19, 2023 11:38 am

Alexandra Bruell | The Wall Street Journal

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.

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Confusion over Gaza hospital blast shows challenge for journalists covering Israel-Hamas conflict

New York Times, Washington Post issue guidelines over how to describe Hamas and Oct. 7 attack on Israel

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