On February 7, CTV News published a news report from the Associated Press with the following misleading headline: “Palestinians: Teen killed in Israeli army raid in West Bank”.
Untold to CTV’s readers, Israel alleges that 17-year-old Hamza Amjad al-Ashqar shot at Israeli soldiers during a raid in the west bank city of Nablus and the Israel Defense Forces returned fire which resulted in the Palestinian teen’s death.
As reported by the Times of Israel, the IDF said explosive devices, Molotov cocktails and stones were also hurled at troops operating in Nablus.
It’s unclear if al-Ashqar was affiliated with terrorist groups, but it’s noteworthy that the Nablus-based Lion’s Den terror group issued a statement claiming to have opened fire at Israeli forces in the city.
The Times of Israel also notes that: “Images circulating online showed al-Ashqar brandishing an assault rifle, indicating his possible affiliation with a local armed group.”
استشهاد الشاب حمزة أمجد الأشقر ( ١٧ عاما ) من مخيم عسكر الجديد بنابلس، برصاص قوات الإحتلال بالوجه خلال العدوان على نابلس، فجر اليوم.
قوات الإجرام الصهيونية قتلت الشاب حمزة خلال حملة اعتقالات واسعة في مدينة نابلس، بالتزامن مع حدوث اشتباكات بين مقاومين وقوات الإحتلال. pic.twitter.com/twPkLhlkNW
— ساره (@Sarah_PalNa) February 7, 2023
When a controversial incident occurs resulting in disputed circumstances, it’s basic journalistic practice to ensure that both side’s versions of events be featured in the interests of fairness and accuracy.
As it stands, CTV and the Associated Press have failed to telegraph Israel’s claim that the Palestinian teen was armed and that he shot at Israeli forces who were conducting a raid in the area. As a result, CTV viewers were misled into believing that Israeli forces killed a presumably innocent Palestinian teen civilian.
In sharp contrast, the Reuters wire services quoted an Israeli military source on the incident saying: “He was armed and was firing on the [Israeli] forces.”
Take action now and call on CTV News to amend its article to acknowledge that Israel claims that the Palestinian teen was a gunman who was killed after firing on Israeli forces in Nablus.
