Reuters Underreports Israeli Fatalities in Palestinian, Hezbollah Attacks

Sept.10 UPDATE:

Reuters Corrects

In response to multiple communications from CAMERA, Reuters today commendably corrected the underreporting of fatalities from both Palestinian and Hezbollah attacks. See below for a detailed update.

While the Associated Press last month grossly overreported the number of civilians killed in the Gaza Strip, leading to corrections appearing in more than 80 media outlets, Reuters has significantly underreported Israeli fatalities in the same war.

In their Sept. 1 article, "Three Israeli police killed in West Bank shooting attack," Reuters' James Mackenzie and Ali Sawafta significantly understated both the number of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks and the number of Israeli and foreign fatalities as a result of Hezbollah attacks, claiming:

The latest deaths bring the number of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks outside Gaza since Oct. 7 to at least 22, with around 20 Israelis and foreigners killed by missile attacks from southern Lebanon.

First, regarding the number of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks outside of Gaza since Oct. 7, the Institute for National Security Studies reports that 38 Israelis have been killed in terror attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem from Oct. 8 into July – far more than the 22 the article states. (Scroll down on the INSS link to "The West Bank and Jerusalem" and then select the third slide.)

CAMERA has independently verified the names, dates and circumstances of deaths for 33 Israelis killed by Palestinians outside of the Gaza Strip (in Israel and the West Bank) since Oct. 7, plus two Jerusalem Arabs who may or may not have had Israeli citizenship but were likewise killed by Palestinian terrorists. See below for these details, including links. 

Second, Mackenzie and Sawafta also substantially skewed the number of Israelis and foreigners killed by Hezbollah rocket attacks since Oct. 7, misleading that "20 Israelis and foreigners killed by missile attacks from southern Lebanon." But no small number of Israelis have been killed by drones and artillery launched from Lebanon.

Why apply a weapons-specific filter on reporting fatalities inflicted by Hezbollah attacks? Indeed, when it comes to Palestinian fatalities, the article does not apply a weapons filter, citing, for instance, only airstrikes while excluding shooting. On Palestinian fatalities, Reuters reporting is all inclusive: "At the same time, Israeli forces have killed almost 680 Palestinians, including armed fighters, stone-throwing youths and uninvolved civilians." So why ignore Hezbollah's deadly attacks not involving missiles?

INSS reports 49 Israeli fatalities due to Hezbollah attacks, including rockets, drones, artillery and anti-tank missiles. (Scroll down to "Hezbollah attacks against Israel," and then select the third slide, "Israel-Lebanon border.")

Similarly, Times of Israel reported today:

So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 26 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 20 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

The 12 children killed July 27 in Majdal Shams by a Hezbollah rocket (Photo courtesy of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

On July 28, Reuters itself reported 40 have been killed on the Israeli side in Hezbollah attacks:

The Israeli military said after Saturday's attack the death toll among civilians killed in Hezbollah attacks had risen to 23 since October, along with at least 17 soldiers.

Cross-checking against Haaretz's database of Israeli fatalities, we located details for 38 fatalities killed in Hezbollah attacks – again, far more than the 20 Reuters is now citing. See below for those names.

Though CAMERA provided Reuters with details for the following victims of Palestinian and Hezbollah attacks, editors have yet to correct the misreporting. 

Post-Oct. 7, 2024 Victims of Palestinian Attacks Outside of the Gaza Strip

  1. Staff Sgt. (res.) Adi Odeya Borech – Oct. 12, 2023 – rocket attack near Sderot, southern Israel
  2. Elhanan Klein – Nov. 2, 2023 – West Bank shooting
  3. Sgt. Elisheva Rose Ida Lubin – Nov. 6, 2023 – Jerusalem stabbing attack
  4. Cpl. Avraham Fetena – Nov. 16, 2023 – "Tunnel Road" checkpoint shooting near Jerusalem
  5. Liviya Dickman – Nov. 30, 2023 – Shot at Jerusalem bus stop
  6. Hanna Ifergan – Nov. 30, 2023 – Shot at Jerusalem bus stop
  7. Elimelech Wasserman – Nov. 30, 2023 – Shot at Jerusalem bus stop
  8. Amar Mansour – Jan. 7, 2024 – West Bank shooting attack (north of Ofra)
  9. Sergeant Shai Germai – Jan. 7, 2024 – Roadside bomb in Jenin, West Bank
  10. Edna Bluestein – Jan. 15, 2024 – Raanana car ramming
  11. Lara Tannous – Jan. 24, 2024 – Succumbed to wounds from Jan. 7 shooting
  12. Uri Yaish – Feb. 16, 2024 – shooting at bus stop near Gedera, southern Israel
  13.  Ishay Gertner – Feb. 16, 2024 – shooting at bus stop near Gedera, southern Israel
  14. Matan Elmaliach – Feb. 22, 2024, shooting on Highway 1, near Maaleh Adumim in West Bank
  15. Uria Hartum – Feb. 29, 2024 – shooting at West Bank gas station, Eli junction
  16. Yitzhak Zeiger – Feb. 29, 2024 – shooting at West Bank gas station, Eli junction
  17. Uri Moyal – March 14 –  Beit Kama stabbing, central Israel
  18. Sgt. 1st Ilay David Garfinkel – March 22, 2024 – West Bank shooting attack
  19. Lidor Levy – April 4, fatally wounded in stabbing attack March 31 in Gan Yavne mall 
  20. Benjamin Achimeir – April 13, 2024 -- brutal slaughter of 14-year-old shepherd
  21. Staff Sgt. Diego Shvisha Harsaj – May 30, 2024 – West Bank car-ramming 
  22. Staff Sgt. Eliya Hilel- May 30, 2024 – West Bank car-ramming
  23. Moshe Dadush, 76 – June 20, 2044 – died from a heart attack after his car was violently stolen near Qalqilya
  24. Cpt. Alon Sacgiu – June 27 -- Fell in combat in a military operation in the West Bank
  25. Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Yehuda Geto – July 1 – roadside bomb in West Bank
  26. Capt. Ariel Topaz – July 24, 2024 – mortally wounded in July 14 ramming attack at Nir Tzvi junction, central Israel
  27. Amnon Muchtar – June 22, 2024 – Shot while shopping in Qalqilya
  28. Rina Daniv – Aug. 4 – Stabbing in Holon, central Israel
  29. Avraham Soumichi – Aug. 4 – Stabbing in Holon, central Israel
  30. Yonatan Deutsch – Aug. 11, 2024 – West Bank shooting
  31. Gideon Peri – Aug. 18, 2024 – West Bank hammer attack
  32. 1st Sgt. Elkana Navon, 20 – Aug. 31, 2024 –Fell in combat in the West Bank city of Jenin.
  33. Hadas Barnatz – Sept. 1, 2024 – West Bank shooting attack on 3 police officers
  34. Arik Ben-Eliyahu – Sept. 1, 2024 – West Bank shooting attack on 3 police officers
  35. Advanced Staff Sgt. Maj. Roni Shkuri – Sept. 1, 2024  – West Bank shooting attack on 3 police officers

Post-Oct. 7 Victims of Hezbollah Attacks (See Haaretz database)

  1. Chief warrant officer Mahmood Amaria - Hezbollah drone attack in northern Israel on August 19, 2024
  2. Michael Samara, Wounded by a Hezbollah rocket attack on August 6 and died of his wounds on August 9, 2024
  3. Nir Poupko, 28, Killed by a rocket attack launched by Hezbollah on July 30, 2024
  4. Jafara Ibrahim, 11, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  5. Nathem Fakher Saeb, 16, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  6. Milad Muadad al-Sha'ar, 10, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  7. Naji Taher al-Halabi, 11, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  8. Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din, 11, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  9. Yazan Nayeif Abu Saleh, 12, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  10. Finis Adham Safadi, 11, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  11. Iseel Nasha'at Ayoub, 12, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  12. John Wadeea Ibrahim, 13, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  13. Hazem Akram Abu Saleh, 15, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  14. Ameer Rabeea Abu Saleh, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  15. Fajr Laith Abu Saleh, 16, Killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack at a soccer field on July 27, 2024
  16. Sergeant first class (res.) Efraim Ben Amram, wounded in a battle by a Hezbollah drone attack on a military base in northern Israel on June, 30, died of his wounds on July 18, 2024
  17. Master sergeant (res.) Valeri Chefonov, 33, killed by a Hezbollah explosive-laden drone attack near the Kibbutz Kabri on July 11, 2024
  18. Nir Baranes, 46, Killed in a rocket impact in the Golan Height on July 9, 2024
  19. Noa Baranes, 46, Killed in a rocket impact in the Golan Height on July 9, 2024
  20. Major (res.) Itay Galea, 38, killed in the Hezbollah attack on a military base on the Golan Heights in northern Israel on July 4, 2024
  21. First sergeant (res.) Refael Kauders, 39, fell in battle by a Hezbollah drone attack on Hurfeish in the Upper Galille on June 5, 2024
  22. Sharif Suad, 35, Killed by an anti-tank missile fired by Hezbollah to the Mount Dov area on April 26, 2024
  23. Major (res.) Dor Zimel, 27, wounded in a Hezbollah drone attack in Arab al-Aramshe on April 17, died of his wounds on April 21, 2024
  24. Zaher Bashara, 38, killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon on the Upper Galilee on March 27, 2024
  25. Maxwell Patnibin, 31, Foreign worker, killed by an anti-tank missile fired by Hezbollah at Moshav Margaliot on March 4, 2024
  26. Staff sergeant Omer Sarah Benjo, 20, killed in a Hezbollah strike launch carried out from Lebanese territory to a base in the north of the country on February 14, 2024
  27. Mira Ayalon, 76, Killed in a Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack on January 14, 2024
  28. Staff sergeant (res.) Barak Ayalon, 48, Member of the community's security squad, Killed in a Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack on January 14, 2024
  29. Sergeant Amit Hod Ziv, 19, fell in battle by a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon on the Shtula area on December 22
  30. Eyal Uzan, 54, killed by Hezbollah anti-tank missile on December 7
  31. Shalom Abudi, 56, killed by an anti-tank missile on the northern border on November 12
  32. Meir Moyal, 55, killed by an anti-tank missile on the northern border on November 5
  33. Mufid Alzir, 57, killed by an anti-tank missile on the northern border, near Moshav Shtula on October 15

In addition, the following are detailed by Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

  1. 1st Sgt. David Moshe Ben Shitrit, 21, of Geva Binyamin – mortally wounded Aug. 25 on his navy ship during interception of Hezbollah drone attack
  2. Master Sgt. (res.) Dan Kamkagi, 31, killed May 6, in northern Israel by anti-tank missile
  3. Master Sgt. (res.) Nahman Natan Hertz, 31, killed May 6, in northern Israel by anti-tank missile
  4. Staff Sgt. Daniel Nachmani, 21, Succumbed Dec. 24 to wounds sustained from artillery fire from Lebanon on 22 December.  
  5. Warrant Officer (res.) Yehezkel Azaria, 53, Fell in drone attack the Margaliot region of northern Israel. 
This post was updated on Sept. 9 to include Meir Moyal, Shalom Abudi and Mufid Alzir.

Sept. 10 Update: Reuters Corrects

In response to multiple communications from CAMERA, Reuters today commendably corrected the underreporting of fatalities from both Palestinian and Hezbollah attacks. The corrected text now states:

At least 34 Israeli soldiers and civilians were killed in Palestinian attacks and clashes with Palestinian fighters outside Gaza and northern Israel in the period from Oct. 7 to the end of August, according to figures from Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic security agency.
The figure does not include at least 47 Israeli soldiers and civilians killed in attacks by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah based in southern Lebanon, according to figures from Alma Research and Education Center, a think tank in northern Israel.

In addition, editors inserted the following note to the top of the article alerting readers to the change:

(This Sept. 1 story has been corrected to fix the number of Israelis killed, in paragraphs 15 and 16)

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