Correction by The Washington Post on Gaza Withdrawal Claim

The Washington Post issued a correction on Tuesday after inaccurately stating that Israel’s departure from Gaza in 2005 stemmed from a “peace agreement.” This came to light following a detailed article discussing the Trump administration’s intentions to assist in Gaza’s reconstruction post-conflict with Hamas, which includes a voluntary program for residents to temporarily relocate to neighboring countries.

What really sparked discussion across social media was the way the article addressed the long-standing territorial disputes. It mentioned how the topic of, well, removing Palestinians from Gaza—through persuasion, payment, or force—has become a contentious issue within Israeli politics. Gaza was initially taken from Egypt and later occupied by Israel during the 1967 war. Interestingly, Israeli settlers had lived alongside Palestinians until 2005 when they were ordered to leave.

No peace agreement ever materialized between Israel and the Palestinians, which is important context here.

Critics quickly pointed out the errors, including Eilon Levi, a former spokesman for the Israeli government. “How did this slip past the editor?” Levi questioned.

By Tuesday, the Post had revised its statement to clarify that “Israel maintained the Gaza settlement until 2005, when it unilaterally withdrew from the enclave.” They also provided a correction for the previous version of the article, reiterating that Israel’s withdrawal was a one-sided action, rather than a peace agreement.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for The Washington Post referenced these changes but didn’t elaborate further.