The difficult task of verifying truth in a war zone, especially now

Mon, 10/16/2023 - 13:26

1358615903 — While there is no debate on the atrocities inflicted by Hamas on Israelis last week, Claire Atkinson writes, the work of reporters trying to verify each specific, ghastly claim is difficult.
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The following from The Media Mix newsletter by Claire Atkinson was republished with permission.
A report of "40 beheaded babies" in Israel made the rounds last week as journalists worked to verify it.
For news consumers, figuring out reality has become even harder with the tumult at X.

Last week, I was watching CNN and heard a someone describing the Hamas attacks on a kibbutz referencing 40 beheaded babies. After the interview concluded, Cooper said the claim had not yet been independently verified.