The Washington Post issued a correction on a story it published claiming Israeli soldiers shot and killed 31 civilians in Gaza who were attempting to collect aid at a US-run site.
WaPo admitted Tuesday in a post on X that they could not verify the incendiary report published on Sunday baring the headline: “At least 31 people were killed Sunday morning in southern Gaza, according to the Strip’s Health Ministry, when Israeli troops opened fire on crowds making their way to collect aid.”
“The article failed to make clear if attributing the deaths to Israel was the position of the Gaza health ministry or a fact verified by The Post,” the paper said in a post on X, adding, “…The Post didn’t give proper weight to Israel’s denial and gave improper certitude about what was known about any Israeli role in the shootings.”
“The early version fell short of Post standards of fairness and should not have been published in that form,” the mea culpa ended.
An updated version of the story still includes the claim 31 Palestinians were killed while they sought aid from an Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site, citing local health officials and medics.
The article now also includes the denial from the Israel Defense Forces that the shooting came from Israeli soldiers and the GHF pushback against “fabricated” claims, the BBC reported.
“It is false and fabricated. All aid was distributed today without incident,” the GHF said, Fox News reported. “No injuries or fatalities as noted in our daily update sent out earlier today. We have heard that these fake reports have been actively fomented by Hamas. They are untrue and fabricated.”
Over 175 Palestinians were wounded on Sunday with at least 26 killed, Fox News reported citing the Hamas-run Strip’s Health Ministry.
The International Committee of the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah stated they received a “mass casualty influx” of 179 cases on Sunday, according to the BBC.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is promising to parse through conflicting claims about Sunday’s tragedy.
“I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday. It is unacceptable that Palestinians are risking their lives for food,” Guterres wrote on X, adding, “I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable.”
The Washington Post did not respond to a request for comment.
