Israel demanded “immediate action” by 4 media firms — the Associated Press, CNN, Reuters and the New York Times — whose freelance photographers have been on the scene throughout the shock Hamas assault on Israeli civilians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace referred to as the six Gaza-based photographers on the bottom for the early-morning Oct. 7 bloodbath on the Gaza-Israel border “accomplices in crimes against humanity.”
“The National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office views with utmost gravity that photojournalists working with international media joined in covering the brutal acts of murder perpetrated by Hamas terrorists on Saturday October 7th in the communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip,” stated the Thursday assertion.
“These journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions were contrary to professional ethics,” the assertion stated.
The AP, Reuters and New York Times have denied having advance information of the Oct. 7 assault, whereas CNN has reduce ties with Hassan Eslaiah, one of many freelance photographers who was working that day for AP.
“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,” CNN informed ynetnews, an Israeli outlet.
Israeli Communications Director Shlomo Karhi fired off a letter Thursday to the 4 media firms requesting a “thorough investigation into this matter.”
“The gravity of the situation demands a swift and thorough response,” Mr. Karhi stated.
Four of the Gaza photographers have been working that day for AP and two for Reuters, in keeping with a Wednesday expose by Honest Reporting, an Israel-based journalism watchdog.
One of the photographers, Yousef Masoud, can also be listed as a New York Times freelance photographer, and Mr. Eslaiah had labored for CNN.
“What were they doing there so early on what would ordinarily have been a quiet Saturday morning? Was it coordinated with Hamas?” requested Honest Reporting.
מחבלים בתחפושת של עיתונאים?
דרשתי הבהרות מיידיות מגופי התקשורת הבינ”ל שפורסמו בתחקיר.
כל מי שהשתתף, תמך או שמר על קשר של שתיקה ואיפשר את הטבח בעוטף, דינו כמו כל מחבל בעזה.@CNN @Rueters @nytimes @AP pic.twitter.com/WQ3kq3dTg1— שלמה קרעי – Shlomo Karhi (@shlomo_karhi) November 9, 2023
A photograph posted by Honest Reporting reveals Mr. Eslaiah smiling as he’s being kissed on the cheek by Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar.
The New York Times issued a Thursday assertion calling ideas of prior information “untrue and outrageous.”
“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 newspaper stated. “It is reckless to make such allegations, putting our journalists on the ground in Israel and Gaza at risk.”
The newspaper stood by Mr. Masoud, saying that he was not working for the Times on Oct. 7 however “has since done important work for us.”
“There is no evidence for Honest Reporting’s insinuations,” stated the New York Times. “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 stated the pictures contributed by its two freelancers “were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets across southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border.”
The relationship between some worldwide media organizations and Israel has been tense since Mr. Netanyahu declared struggle on Hamas shortly after the Oct. 7 assault, which left greater than 1,400 useless.
Mainstream retailers have been accused of parroting pro-Palestinian speaking factors by reporting the Hamas-run Health Ministry’s declare that a whole lot have been killed Oct. 17 at a Gaza hospital by an Israeli airstrike.
The National Security Council later stated that Israel was “not responsible” and cited intelligence indicating that the explosion was attributable to a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
