{"id":2184044,"date":"2024-02-22T15:31:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T20:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/terror-victims-sue-associated-press-for-employing-alleged-hamas-affiliate\/"},"modified":"2024-02-22T15:34:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T20:34:13","slug":"terror-victims-sue-associated-press-for-employing-alleged-hamas-affiliate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/terror-victims-sue-associated-press-for-employing-alleged-hamas-affiliate\/","title":{"rendered":"Terror victims sue AP over alleged Hamas affiliation"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fterror-victims-sue-associated-press-for-employing-alleged-hamas-affiliate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2184044&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>AP Freelance Photographer Accused \u200dof Having \u200bAdvance Knowledge\u200d of Hamas Attack<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, freelancer Hassan\u200b Eslaiah \u2063(@visegrad24\u200c Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>Victims\u200b of Hamas&#8217;s Oct. 7 terror strike on \u200cIsrael are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/n-m-widower-sues-alburquerque-over-sanctuary-city-policy\/\" title=\"N.M. widower sues Alburquerque over sanctuary city policy\">taking legal action<\/a> against the Associated Press, claiming that the news organization &#8220;materially supported terrorism through payments that they made to known agents of Hamas,&#8221; according to a copy\u2062 of the lawsuit and statement\u200b from the plaintiffs.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit, obtained by the\u200c <em>Washington Free Beacon<\/em>, alleges\u200b that the AP\u200d employed a\u200b photographer with ties\u200c to Hamas who had advance knowledge of the attack. The AP and CNN severed ties with freelance photographer Hassan Eslaiah last year after reports emerged\u2063 about his alleged links to Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit, \u200cspearheaded \u2064by \u2064the National Jewish\u200c Advocacy Center\u200c (NJAC) on behalf of the \u2063terror victims, states\u200b that the AP was aware of\u200b Eslaiah&#8217;s\u200d affiliation with Hamas and his promotion of terrorism. It also claims that the AP paid for real-time\u200c images, including\u2062 those \u2063of Israeli hostages being taken into Gaza, despite\u2062 being warned about the photographer&#8217;s Hamas connections.<\/p>\n<p>The NJAC accuses the AP of aiding and abetting Hamas in carrying\u200b out the attack,\u200c calling it the\u2063 worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.<\/p>\n<p>This lawsuit is groundbreaking as it marks\u2062 the first time that terrorism victims have sued a media outlet for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/actblue-facilitating-donations-to-terror-tied-charity-legal-group-says\/\" title=\"ActBlue Facilitating Donations to Terror-Tied Charity, Legal Group Says\">providing material support<\/a>\u200c to a lethal attack that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-not-planning-to-deploy-us-troops-to-israel\/\" title=\"No US Troops to be Deployed to Israel, White House Says\">garnered \u200dinternational attention<\/a> \u200dand\u200c sparked \u2063a regional conflict.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Media organizations cannot\u2062 act with impunity and\u2063 pretend \u2062they don&#8217;t know who they are\u2062 paying,&#8221; said NJAC \u2064director \u2064Mark Goldfeder.<\/p>\n<p>An AP spokesman referred to a statement regarding the lawsuit, calling it &#8220;baseless&#8221; and denying any advance knowledge of the attack.<\/p>\n<p>Recent media reports have raised \u200dquestions about freelance photographers employed by \u2064top American media outlets, including \u200cthe AP, Reuters, CNN, and \u200bthe <em>New York Times<\/em>, having ties to Hamas and being\u200d informed in advance of its \u2064plans to attack Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Honest Reporting, a watchdog group, questioned how these journalists were able to arrive at\u200b the scene so early, suggesting ethical concerns.<\/p>\n<p>While the AP \u2064and other \u200boutlets denied\u2063 having advance knowledge, they cut ties with\u2062 Eslaiah, who was claimed to have a longstanding relationship with\u2063 Hamas leadership.<\/p>\n<p>Eslaiah and\u2063 other freelance photographers are named in\u200c the lawsuit, which includes photographic evidence \u2064of Eslaiah with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.<\/p>\n<p>The legal team handling the lawsuit claims that they reached out to the AP before\u2062 filing, but the\u2062 AP \u2064denied any knowledge of the photographer&#8217;s affiliation with Hamas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What potential consequences could arise for news organizations\u200c if they fail to \u200dproperly investigate\u2064 the backgrounds and affiliations of their employees, particularly in conflict zones?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  He \u200bVictims\u200b Legal Association, accuses the AP\u200b of negligence \u2063and recklessness in its hiring and vetting practices. The plaintiffs\u200c allege that \u200bthe news organization failed to properly investigate Eslaiah&#8217;s background and ties to Hamas, thereby putting the \u2064victims of the attack at risk and \u200ccontributing to the \u2063support \u2062of terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>Hamas, \u200cdesignated as a terrorist organization\u200b by several \u2064countries, including\u2063 the\u2063 United States, has a long history of carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians. The Oct. 7 \u200battack in\u2062 which Eslaiah allegedly\u2064 had advance knowledge resulted in the deaths of several Israeli citizens\u2063 and\u2062 the injury of many more.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit claims that \u200dEslaiah&#8217;s affiliation with Hamas was no secret and was known\u200d to \u2063the AP\u2064 at the time of his employment. \u200bIt highlights the fact that credible reports had been published prior to the \u2062attack revealing Eslaiah&#8217;s connections to \u2064the terrorist organization. Despite this information, the AP allegedly continued to employ\u200b Eslaiah as a freelance photographer, thereby enabling\u200c him to gather information and\u2063 potentially aid in \u2063planning the attack.<\/p>\n<p>The plaintiffs argue that the AP&#8217;s\u2064 actions not only violated \u200ctheir duty of care towards the victims but also\u200b constituted material \u2064support for terrorism, a serious offense under U.S. \u200claw.\u200c By compensating and\u2064 supporting an individual with \u2064known ties \u200dto a terrorist organization, the AP allegedly contributed to the financial stability and operation of Hamas,\u200c thus \u2063indirectly funding further acts of terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>The case against\u200c the AP raises important questions about \u200bthe responsibility \u200cof news organizations when it comes to hiring and \u2064vetting their employees, particularly in conflict zones \u200dwhere terrorist organizations may seek to exploit media channels for their \u200cown\u2062 gain. It underscores the need for rigorous \u2064background checks and due diligence before hiring journalists and\u200c photographers, especially those working\u200d in regions prone to conflict and terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the lawsuit, \u2062the Associated Press has stated \u2062that it takes these allegations seriously and will thoroughly investigate the claims made against it. The news \u200corganization maintains that it adheres to strict\u2063 ethical \u200dand journalistic standards and that\u200c any wrongdoing on the part of\u200c Eslaiah does not reflect the values and principles of the AP.<\/p>\n<p>However, the victims and their legal representatives argue that the AP&#8217;s failure to vet\u2062 Eslaiah\u2064 adequately makes it complicit in \u2063the Oct. 7 attack and potentially other \u2063acts of terrorism facilitated by \u2062the photographer. They assert that the \u2063AP&#8217;s negligence and recklessness have not only caused harm to the\u200c victims but have also undermined the reputation\u200b and integrity of\u200b the news organization itself.<\/p>\n<p>The outcome of this lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the journalism industry as a \u200dwhole. It serves as \u2064a wake-up \u200bcall for \u2063news organizations to prioritize the safety \u200cand security of their employees, as well as the accuracy and credibility of their reporting. It\u200d highlights the need for increased transparency and accountability in the hiring\u2062 and vetting process, in order to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/looters-pick-the-wrong-disaster-area-to-target-end-up-with-million-dollar-bails-after-florida-sheriffs-office-gets-involved\/\" title=\"Looters in Florida face hefty bails after targeting the wrong disaster area.\">prevent unauthorized individuals<\/a> with nefarious intentions from infiltrating the \u200dranks of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/absurd-cockamamie-complete-crap-analysts-destroy-claim-that-biden-gets-worse-media-treatment-than-trump\/\" title=\"\u2018Absurd,\u2019 \u2018Cockamamie,\u2019 \u2018Complete Crap\u2019: Analysts Destroy Claim That Biden Gets Worse Media Treatment Than Trump\">reputable news outlets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the \u200dlawsuit against the Associated \u200dPress alleging that it materially supported terrorism through its employment of a photographer \u2062with ties\u2062 to Hamas raises important legal and ethical questions. \u200bIt emphasizes the need for news\u2064 organizations\u2062 to \u200cprioritize \u200dthe thorough vetting and background checks of \u200ctheir employees in order to\u200c prevent potential harm to individuals and the support of terrorist activities. The case serves as a reminder to the industry of \u200bthe crucial role it plays \u2063in maintaining the integrity\u2063 and credibility of\u200b journalism in conflict zones.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A lawsuit claims that AP freelance photographer Hassan Eslaiah had prior knowledge of a Hamas attack. The suit also alleges that the Associated Press supported terrorism by making payments to Hamas agents. Victims of the attack are suing the news organization for its alleged involvement<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2184045,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/F-cWNhhXgAAyOKv-e1708627680971.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2184044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/F-cWNhhXgAAyOKv-e1708627680971.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2184044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2184044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2184044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2184045"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2184044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2184044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2184044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}