Reuters was slammed online Saturday for falsely claiming on social media that the 13 Israeli women and children hostages who were released by Hamas as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement with Israel were “Israeli soldiers.”
The 13 Israeli nationals who were released from captivity included Shoshan Haran, 67; Adi Shoham, 38; Yahel Shoham, 3; Naveh Shoham, 8; Shiri Weiss, 53; Noga Weiss, 18; Maya Regev, 21; Hila Rotem, 12; Emily Hand, 9; Noam Or, 17; Alma Or, 13; Noam Avigdori, 12; and Sharon Avigdori, 52.
“Hamas releases 13 more Israeli soldiers and four foreign nationals to the Red Cross in a second exchange,” Reuters posted on X.
The left-of-center news wire was met with immediate pushback from journalists and commentators from across the political spectrum.
“An announcement from the facts department: Unlike what @Reuters says here, no Israeli soldiers were released today,” said Axios reporter Barak Ravid. “Hamas released 8 Isrseli kids and 5 Israeli women it took hostage 50 days ago.”
An announcement from the facts department: Unlike what @Reuters says here, no Israeli soldiers were released today. Hamas released 8 Isrseli kids and 5 Israeli women it took hostage 50 days ago pic.twitter.com/j4shL85WU9
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 26, 2023
“Warning: Extreme disinformation,” said former Trump administration official Ezra Cohan. “@Reuters classifying civilian women, and children as soldiers. Another attempt by the media to legitimize Hamas’s illegal and barbaric terrorist acts.”
Left-wing lawyer Mark Zaid commented: “It is really concerning that major media, such as Reuters & NYT, keep getting verifiable facts wrong.”
“All of these mistakes go in one direction…” a popular conservative account commented.
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“Oh, for f***’s sake @Reuters,” said International Human Rights attorney Arsen Ostrovsky. “Seriously? They were children and their mothers, not ‘soldiers.’ How horribly inept and inherently biased must you be?”
Dr. Alexandra Herzog of the American Jewish Committee added: “Soldiers, @Reuters? Wow, 3yo kids and 67yo women can be soldiers!”
“DO BETTER. These are innocent CIVILIANS who were kidnapped from their HOME,” she said. “Did you notice some of them were dressed in their pajamas? That’s because they were in their beds when they were dragged to Gaza.”
Soldiers, @Reuters? Wow, 3yo kids and 67yo women can be soldiers!
DO BETTER. These are innocent CIVILIANS who were kidnapped from their HOME. Did you notice some of them were dressed in their pyjamas? That’s because they were in their beds when they were dragged to Gaza. https://t.co/HlnrtePmIa pic.twitter.com/U8DWZawBbf
— Dr. Alexandra Herzog (@alexandratali25) November 26, 2023
Reuters was later forced to delete the post and issue a correction.