BBC World Service promotes inaccurate information on Twitter

On the morning of July 3rd 2014 the Hamas-linked Palestinian media agency Alray reported that ten people in the Gaza Strip had been injured after the Israeli air-force responded to ongoing intense missile fire launched by terrorist groups against Israeli civilians in communities in surrounding regions.

“Israeli warplanes raided several places in the Gaza Strip early Thursday injuring ten civilians, including an elderly and a young woman.

Spokesperson of Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qedra said in a statement that five citizens were injured after Israeli warplanes bombed a farmland in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza and three youngsters after bombing the site of “Safina” north-west of Gaza City.” 

The Kuwait News Agency reported likewise on ten injured people, as did  the Iranian regime’s Press TV and even the Hamas-supporting International Solidarity Movement.
The BBC News website also noted on the morning of July 3rd that:

 “Ashraf al-Qidra, from Gaza’s ministry of health, told the BBC that 10 Palestinians were injured in the air strikes and taken to hospital.”

The BBC World Service’s ‘Newsday’, however, elected to promote a different version of events to its 115 thousand followers on Twitter.
BBC WS Tweet airstrikes
Clearly the BBC World Service is in need of a swift reminder that editorial guidelines on accuracy and impartiality also apply to social media. Obviously too, a prominent and public correction needs to be made. 
Update: 
The BBC World Service Twitter account has now posted a correction to that Tweet.
BBC WS corrected tweet
Related Articles:
More unchallenged Hamas propaganda on BBC World Service’s ‘Newshour’
BBC World Service’s ‘Newsday’ gives ‘open mike’ to Azzam Tamimi’s Hamas propaganda
 
 
 

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