Disparity in casualty numbers as a signal of bias

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Disparate casualty numbers between Israelis and Palestinians are often used as a signal to show who is right in the war, with the Gaza Health Ministry being the source of these numbers. The press, including the UN, often attributed casualties to the Gaza Health Ministry without verifying the reliability of the numbers, allowing Hamas to influence the narrative through manipulation of casualty figures.

Journalist Matti Friedman worked for the Jerusalem Bureau of the Associated Press from 2006 to 2011. Looking back at that experience, Friedman argues that little has changed in the journalism landscape. Listen as Friedman discusses with EconTalk host Russ Roberts the media's obsession with Israel and how and why the media often sidelines facts in service of ideology, and the challenge of objective reporting in wartime.