Hamas-allied freelance journalist reports renew media terror ties scrutiny
Unearthed Footage and Images of Freelance Journalists in Gaza Embedded with Hamas
Unearthed footage and images of freelance journalists in Gaza embedded with Hamas as it attacked Israel on Oct. 7 are renewing criticism of the legacy media’s terror ties and sending shockwaves throughout the world.
Broken Borders: AP & Reuters Pictures of Hamas Atrocities Raise Ethical Questions
On Wednesday, the watchdog group Honest Reporting published an article titled “Broken Borders: AP & Reuters Pictures of Hamas Atrocities Raise Ethical Questions,” citing “Gaza-based photojournalist” freelancers Hassan Eslaiah, Yousef Masoud, Ali Mahmud, and Hatem Ali. Since that time, since-deleted social media posts from Eslaiah, including one alongside Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, have widely circulated on social media and resulted in some outlets cutting ties with him.
“We are no longer working with Hassan Eslaiah, who had been an occasional freelancer for AP and other international news organizations in Gaza,” Lauren Easton, an Associated Press spokeswoman, said in a statement shared with the Washington Examiner. “AP uses images taken by freelancers around the world. When we accept freelance photos, we take great steps to verify the authenticity of the images and that they show what is purported. The role of the AP is to gather information on breaking news events around the world, wherever they happen, even when those events are horrific and cause mass casualties.”
Easton added that the outlet “had no knowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks before they happened.” Meanwhile, CNN said Thursday, “We are aware of the article and photo concerning Hassan Eslaiah, a freelance photojournalist who has worked with a number of international and Israeli outlets. While we have not at this time found reason to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us, we have decided to suspend all ties with him.”
The revelations come as the death toll continues to rise in connection to the Israel-Gaza conflict while antisemitism spikes in the United States and other countries. Over 1,400 people in Israel have been killed since Oct. 7, the deadliest attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
It’s also hardly the first time outlets have faced the noise for alleged terror connections or support. The Israeli government said in 2021 that a Gaza tower where the Associated Press and Al-Jazeera held offices was also used by Hamas. The Israel Defense Forces destroyed the building after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad attacked Israel with rockets.
In 2022, Honest Reporting published an expose showing that then-CNN producer Idris Mukhtar Ibrahim apparently praised Hamas and Hitler, prompting the outlet to stop working with him. And in 2010, CNN also fired editor Octavia Nasr after Honest Reporting said she expressed support for Hezbollah co-founder Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, the New York Times reported.
On Thursday, ex-Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a member of the country’s war Cabinet, said that any ”journalists found to have known about the massacre, and still chose to stand as idle bystanders while children were slaughtered — are no different than terrorists and should be treated as such.”
“While Hamas savages murdered, raped, tortured and brutally abused our people, the vile photographers did not stop, turn away or leave the scene,” Israel’s United Nations representative, Danny Danon, said on Thursday. “Instead, they filmed and participated in the crimes. We will hunt them down together with the terrorists.”
Following the publication of Honest Reporting’s article, a since-deleted Facebook video post by Eslaiah began to go viral on X, formerly Twitter. It appears to show him on a motorbike in Gaza and someone holding a grenade. The Honest Reporting article highlighted another video in which Eslaiah stood in front of a burning Israeli tank.
“Reuters did not publish any images by Hassan Eslaiah and does not have a relationship with him,” Heather Carpenter, a spokeswoman for Reuters, told the Washington Examiner.
Honest Reporting’s article highlighted work by Masoud and Ali that the watchdog said raised concerns due to them being positioned close to terrorists on Oct. 7. The New York Times issued a statement Thursday pushing back against the watchdog’s allegations on Masoud, who has freelanced for the outlet.
“The accusation that anyone at The New York Times had advance knowledge of the Hamas attacks or accompanied Hamas terrorists during the attacks is untrue and outrageous,” the statement read. “It is reckless to make such allegations, putting our journalists on the ground in Israel and Gaza at risk. The Times has extensively covered the Oct. 7 attacks and the war with fairness, impartiality, and an abiding understanding of the complexities of the conflict.”
“The advocacy group Honest Reporting has made vague allegations about several freelance photojournalists working in Gaza, including Yousef Masoud,” the statement continued. “Though Yousef was not working for [the New York Times] on the day of the attack, he has since done important work for us. There is no evidence for Honest Reporting’s insinuations. Our review of his work shows that he was doing what photojournalists always do during major news events, documenting the tragedy as it unfolded.”
Reuters also told the Washington Examiner it “categorically denies that it had prior knowledge of the attack or that we embedded journalists with Hamas on Oct. 7.”
“Reuters acquired photographs from two Gaza-based freelance photographers who were at the border on the morning of October 7, with whom it did not have a prior relationship,” the outlet said. “The photographs published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets across southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border. Reuters staff journalists were not on the ground at the locations referred to in the Honest Reporting article.”
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Aside from ethical concerns, what other risks do freelance journalists embedded with extremist groups face, and how do their actions raise questions about their impartiality and objectivity
Ew York Times and Washington Post also published photos taken by Masoud and Ali that showed Hamas fighters and rockets.
The issue of freelance journalists embedded with Hamas raises significant ethical questions for the legacy media. These journalists, who are supposed to be impartial observers, are becoming actively involved in the conflicts they are covering. The fact that they are embedded with and supporting a designated terrorist organization raises concerns about their objectivity and credibility.
It is the responsibility of news organizations to verify the authenticity of the images they use and ensure that they accurately reflect the events they purport to depict. In the case of the AP and Reuters, both outlets claim to have taken great steps to verify the authenticity of the images they publish. However, the fact that these outlets have been using freelance photographers who are embedded with Hamas raises doubts about their due diligence and raises questions about their editorial standards.
The use of freelance journalists embedded with extremist groups also raises questions about the safety and security of these journalists. By actively participating in the conflicts they are covering, these journalists put themselves at risk of becoming targets and raise concerns about their impartiality and objectivity.
Furthermore, the use of images that show Hamas fighters and rockets raises concerns about the media’s portrayal of the conflict. By publishing images that are biased towards one side of the conflict, news organizations risk perpetuating a one-sided narrative that is unrepresentative of the complex reality on the ground.
In a time when the Israel-Gaza conflict is causing widespread death and suffering and when anti-Semitism is on the rise, it is crucial for the media to remain impartial and objective. The use of embedded journalists with extremist groups undermines this principle and raises serious ethical concerns.
It is incumbent upon news organizations to thoroughly vet their freelance journalists and ensure that they maintain the highest standards of professionalism and objectivity. The use of embedded journalists with extremist groups undermines the integrity of the media and risks perpetuating a biased and one-sided narrative.
The revelations of freelance journalists embedded with Hamas in Gaza highlight the need for greater transparency and accountability in the media. News organizations must take measures to ensure that they are not unwittingly collaborating with or promoting extremist organizations. The ethical responsibilities of journalists and news organizations cannot be understated in times of conflict, and it is crucial that the media upholds these responsibilities and maintains its credibility.
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