Complaint
A viewer complained that a 主播大秀 Correspondent鈥檚 statement that critics claimed 鈥渢he vast majority鈥 of Palestinians killed in Gaza in the current conflict had been women and children could not be correct, in view of Israeli Defence Force information that between 10,000 and 13,000 of those killed were Hamas terrorists.聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 主播大秀鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
While the situation is one in which it is extremely difficult to arrive at reliable casualty figures, the ECU noted that, at the time of transmission, the UN estimated that 70% of those killed were women and children and that this broadly reflected other analyses.聽 While acknowledging the phrase complained of was imprecise and perhaps not the best choice of words in the circumstances, it was attributed to 鈥渃ritics of Israel鈥 and the ECU did not consider it materially inaccurate as a passing reference to casualty figures in the context of a report primarily concerned with other issues. Subsequent to the broadcast the UN has revised how its arrives at its estimates and this has been reflected in the 主播大秀鈥檚 coverage.
Not upheld