The Telegraph backtracks on Greta Thunberg Gaza flotilla timeline

The Telegraph has corrected a factual inaccuracy in its commentary on environmental activist Greta Thunberg’s participation in a pro-Palestinian flotilla, after overstating how long the convoy had been at sea.

In its September 27 opinion piece, Greta’s Gaza flotilla is nothing but a ship of fools, the newspaper claimed that the convoy had been sailing for six weeks. In reality, it had not yet been at sea for that duration at the time of publication.

The clarification, issued on October 17, acknowledges the discrepancy and amends the timeline. Although the error was numerical rather than substantive, it nonetheless distorted readers’ sense of the protest’s scale and endurance — implying a more prolonged, determined voyage than was the case. Such embellishment risks inflating the perceived credibility or spectacle of the flotilla and can blur the distinction between factual reporting and rhetorical flourish, especially in commentary pieces dealing with polarised geopolitical events.

The Telegraph has said it is “happy to correct the record”.