International Photojournalists’ Conduct During Hamas Attacks Under Investigation
The conduct of Gaza-based photojournalists from prominent news agencies, who documented Hamas terrorists’ war crimes in southern Israel, is under intense scrutiny. Their presence at the Israel-Gaza border, capturing the violent rampage that included lynching and kidnappings, has raised serious ethical questions about journalistic integrity and complicity.
On a day that began with the gruesome scene of Hamas terrorists breaching the border, photographers working for The Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, and The New York Times were on-site. The images they captured included a burning Israeli tank, the storming of Kibbutz Kfar Azza, and the harrowing abductions of Israelis. Notably, AP’s Hassan Eslaiah, also a CNN freelancer, was seen in now-deleted tweets standing without a press vest or a helmet in front of the tank. Other photographers, such as Reuters’ Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, captured the brutalization of an Israeli soldier’s body.
The Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) is investigating the matter, with Director Nitzan Chen demanding explanations from the bureau chiefs of the implicated news agencies for the photographers’ alleged involvement in the events of October 7, which could be considered a significant breach of both professional and moral standards.
Chen told The Media Line that the GPO is reviewing all legal actions within its power regarding the matter.
The Jerusalem Journalists Association has urged an in-depth inquiry.
After an exposé by HonestReporting was published on Wednesday, AP denied prior knowledge of the attacks, and CNN suspended ties with Eslaiah while asserting confidence in his work’s journalistic accuracy. Reuters and The New York Times have not issued responses.
