BBC Journalist on Twitter Misinforms

By Published On: November 15, 2012

BBC’s Wyre Davies told his 9,100 Twitter followers earlier today that “nearly all” of the Palestinians and Israelis killed during the fighting today were civilians.

To be sure, there are some discrepancies in the numbers being reported due to the fog of war. But does he believe the Associated Press was wildly wrong in reporting that “a total of 13 Palestinians, including four civilians, have been killed,” or in its subsequent report that “a total of 15 Palestinians, including seven civilians” were killed?

Does he believe that even Hamas Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra, who according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur told reporters that “seven of the 15 Palestinians killed so far were civilians, and eight … militants,” is inflating the number of civilian casualties?

Or perhaps he doesn’t read BBC, whose web site states that “many” of the Palestinians were militants.

Here is Davies’ (thus far uncorrected) Twitter post from early this morning:

Here is the BBC’s account as of 3pm eastern time today:

15 Palestinians killed in Gaza during a two-day Israeli aerial and naval bombardment were members of militant groups, but civilians – including four children – were also among the dead.

(To read our recent piece showing journalists taking liberties on Twitter, click here.)

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