An X post from CBS News describing how an Israeli family was "massacred" outside the Gaza Strip was strongly criticized on social media Thursday, leading the outlet to play cleanup online.
The media organization promoted a story regarding the miraculous survival of a pair of Israeli twins after it was discovered that their parents hid them right before the Hamas attack on Saturday. However, in the brief X post on its official account, CBS News used quotation marks around the word "massacred." It later said it was simply quoting an Israeli military member who used the term, but social media users balked at the framing.
"10-month-old Israeli twins were found hidden and unharmed at kibbutz where Hamas ‘massacred’ their parents and beheaded children," the post read.
This choice for quotation marks offended several social media users for appearing to make light of a devastating surprise attack by Hamas against Israel.
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"CBS news with scare quotes around the word massacred," The Spectator contributing editor Stephen Miller observed.
Conservative commentator Steve Guest remarked, "Completely disgraceful framing from CBS News. Why the scare quotes?"
"There is no low CBS ‘News’ will not go to," Digital strategist and conservative X user Eric Spracklen lamented.
"Is it not a real massacre? Why the quotes on that word, CBS?" RedState investigative journalist Jennifer Van Laar asked.
Ohio Rep. Bill Johnson similarly asked, "Really think the quotation marks are necessary here?"
"Media outlets I am once again asking you to stop letting twentysomethings run your socials," podcast host Jen Monroe commented.
Hours after the original post was made, CBS News wrote a clarification that explained the word "massacre" was part of a larger quote.
"The word massacred was in quotations because we were referencing Maj. Gen. Itai Veruv of the IDF, who said of Kfar Azza, ‘It’s not a war or a battlefield; it’s a massacre,’" the new post read.
The original post containing the quoted "massacred" is still on the CBS News account.
The Israeli government declared war against Hamas on Saturday after the terrorist group fired thousands of rockets out of Gaza and invaded, killing over 1,200 Israelis and taking hostages, including soldiers, women, children and elderly civilians. Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 1,400 people, according to Palestinian authorities. At least 27 Americans have also been killed.
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