They took photos and filmed horrific scenes showing Hamas terrorists storming kibbutzim near Gaza, kidnapping civilians and burning Israeli tanks on the morning of October 7. Images that went around the world. Now I four photographers authors of these photographs and videos – then sold and distributed by Associated Press, CNN And Reutersamong the world's leading news agencies – found themselves at the center of a real issue, which goes beyond press freedom, the right to information and professional ethics, also involving politics. Honest Reportinga pro-Israeli site, conducted a survey to ask everyone a simple question: why these photographers were at the scene of these crimes, at the very moment they were being committed?
“What were they doing “so early” at the scene of the massacres?
“Was everything coordinated with Hamas? Did the respectable news agencies that published their photos approve of their presence in enemy territory, alongside terrorist infiltrators? asks Honest Reporting. The pro-Israeli site questions what these photographers were doing “on site” and, above all, “so early, what would normally have been a quiet Saturday morning? In other words, the doubt raised is if all or some of the photographers knew about the attack of Hamas in advanceso that we can be present at the scene of events, ready to document them.
Some freelancers from Gaza have been indicted, indicated as perpetrators of the October 7 shootings: they are Hassan Eslaiah, Youssef Massoud, Ali Mahmoud, Hatem Ali, Mohammed Fayq Abou Mustafa And Yasser Qudih. The site notably broadcast a video of Eslaiah which he himself posted under the caption “live from inside the colonies of the Gaza Strip”.
Another photo, also reported by Honest Reporting, shows Eslaiah embracing Gaza Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, with the latter giving him a kiss on the cheek. Masoud was also present at the scene of the tank fire, as were Abu Mustafa and Qudih who filmed gunmen infiltrating into Israel, attacking the body of a soldier taken from the armored vehicle.
GettyImages Benny Gantz, former chief of staff of the Israeli army
The accusation: “Integrated into Hamas”
Very serious accusations, in short, which seem to suggest that these journalists were in some way “integrated“, that is to say “following” Hamas, alongside the terrorists to document their “exploits” in enemy territory, while they killed, massacred and raped.
“If there were journalists who knew about the massacrewho remained silent and took photos while the children were being massacred, they would be no different from terrorists and their punishment would be severe,” he thundered Benny Gantz, former chief of staff and member of the Israeli war cabinet. The authorities of the Jewish state immediately demanded an explanation from the international media, which, however, immediately distanced itself from the people involved, distanced themselves from them and interrupted working collaborations.
The director of the Israeli government press office, Nitzan Chen, asked the heads of the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN and the New York Times for clarification on the report's disturbing findings. A commitment, it is said, “which goes beyond any professional and moral red line. Four photographers working for these networks documented the horrors perpetrated by Hamas terrorists after crossing the border into Israel. They filmed the killings of civilians, the abuse of bodies and the kidnappings of men and women,” writes the Israeli government press service.
Wikipedia Reuters headquarters in London
Replicas
CNN said it was “aware of the article and photo regarding Hassan Eslaiah, an independent photojournalist who has worked with numerous international and Israeli media outlets. Although we have found no reason at this time to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us, we have decided to suspend all ties with him“. For its part, the AP stressed that it “was not aware of the October 7 attacks before they occurred,” reiterating that it “uses images taken by independents around the world, including in Gaza.” However, the Associated Press also suspended its collaboration with Eslaiah.
Same line followed by ReutersThat he “categorically denied having any knowledge of the attack” or to have sent journalists “embedded” in Hamas on October 7.” The British agency explained that it had “acquired photos from two independent photographers based in Gaza, who were at the border on the morning of October 7, with whom it had not previously worked. The images published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets into southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border. The agency finally clarified that “Reuters journalistic staff were not present on site in the locations mentioned in the Honest Reporting article.”
