By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times - Thursday, November 9, 2023

Israel demanded “immediate action” by four media companies — the Associated Press, CNN, Reuters and the New York Times — whose freelance photographers were on the scene during the surprise Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the six Gaza-based photographers on the ground for the early-morning Oct. 7 massacre 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,” said the Thursday statement.

“These journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity; their actions were contrary to professional ethics,” the statement said.

The AP, Reuters and New York Times have denied having advance knowledge of the Oct. 7 attack, while CNN has cut ties with Hassan Eslaiah, one of the 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 told ynetnews, an Israeli outlet.

Israeli Communications Director Shlomo Karhi fired off a letter Thursday to the four media companies requesting a “thorough investigation into this matter.”
“The gravity of the situation demands a swift and thorough response,” Mr. Karhi said.

Four of the Gaza photographers were working that day for AP and two for Reuters, according to a Wednesday expose by Honest Reporting, an Israel-based journalism watchdog.

One of the photographers, Yousef Masoud, is also listed as a New York Times freelance photographer, and Mr. Eslaiah had worked for CNN.

“What were they doing there so early on what would ordinarily have been a quiet Saturday morning? Was it coordinated with Hamas?” asked Honest Reporting.

A photo posted by Honest Reporting shows Mr. Eslaiah smiling as he’s being kissed on the cheek by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The New York Times issued a Thursday statement calling suggestions of prior knowledge “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 said. “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 but “has since done important work for us.”

“There is no evidence for Honest Reporting’s insinuations,” said 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 said the photos 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 international media organizations and Israel has been tense since Mr. Netanyahu declared war on Hamas shortly after the Oct. 7 attack, which left more than 1,400 dead.

Mainstream outlets were accused of parroting pro-Palestinian talking points by reporting the Hamas-run Health Ministry’s claim that hundreds were killed Oct. 17 at a Gaza hospital by an Israeli airstrike.

The National Security Council later said that Israel was “not responsible” and cited intelligence indicating that the explosion was caused by a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.

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