NPR Corrects: Not Only Sderot Hit By Rockets

CAMERA today prompted correction of a National Public Radio article which incorrectly implied that Palestinian rocket fire last week was all concentrated on the southern town of Sderot. In fact, Hamas fired its rocket at numerous Israeli communities across southern Israel. The article Aug. 9 erred (“Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza After Hamas Launches Rocket Attacks“):

The Israeli attacks came in apparent retaliation for the launching of about 150 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel, wounding 11 Israelis, according to Haaretz. The rockets landed in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, where nine residents were taken to the hospital, including a woman in serious condition, the newspaper reports. (Emphasis added.)

Gazans had launched at least 150 rockets (depending on the timing, some reports put the figure at 200), targeting communities across southern Israel including Hof Ashkelon, Shaar Hanegev, Eshkol Regional Council, Beersheva, and Netivot, along with Sderot. According to the Haaretz article cited in the article:

The military said it struck 150 targets in Gaza in retaliation to some 200 rockets fired from the Strip at Israel. Over 30 rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Several exploded inside Israel, including in the southern city of Be’er Sheva, located some 40 kilometers from the Strip.

According to an Aug. 8 Jerusalem Post article, four rockets fell in Sderot, causing multiple injuries.

In response to communication from CAMERA staff, NPR commendably amended the wording to accurately state:

The Israeli attacks came in apparent retaliation for the launching of about 150 rockets from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, wounding 11 Israelis, according to Haaretz. Some of the rockets landed in the city of Sderot, where nine residents were taken to the hospital, including a woman in serious condition, the newspaper reports.

In addition, editors appended the following correction to the bottom of the article:

A previous version of this story implied that all rockets launched from the Gaza Strip fell in the Israeli city of Sderot. In fact, several locations in southern Israel were hit, according to Israeli media.