The New York Times corrected itself on Monday regarding an initial headline and report that appeared on the newspaper’s website following the blast at the Ahli Arab Hospital compound in southern Gaza City. One now explains that the message was placed at the top of the homepage on October 17th “Editors’ Note” the New York Times. Early versions of the report gave an incorrect impression about what was known about the explosion and how credible that information was: “The report left readers with an incorrect impression about what was known and how credible the account was.”
The report relied too heavily on claims made by Hamas “and did not make it clear that these claims were not immediately verifiable.” The statement makes it clear that the Times I have continuously updated my reporting and finally added that the number of deaths may be lower than initially reported. Likewise, responsibility for the impact is denied by both Israel and the Palestinian side, but US and other international government officials report evidence that would show that the rocket came from Palestine. Within two hours, it is said, the report and headline were on the website Times the extent of the explosion as well as the disputed responsibility were correctly presented.
The Editors’ Note does not contain a clear apology. However, it is admitted that in this delicate situation the editors of the New York Times should have reported more carefully and stated more clearly what information could be verified. Senior editors continually checked what additional protective mechanisms might be necessary in breaking news situations like these in the future.