Netanyahu, Gantz denounce journalists who photographed Hamas atrocities

Netanyahu and Benny Gantz blast Gaza photojournalists who photographed Hamas atrocities and criticized the Western news outlets which employed them. 

By World Israel News Staff

Following an Honest Reporting expose revealing connections between leading media outlets and journalists who photographed the October 7th massacre, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Unity Government Benny Gantz responded with scathing criticism.

Netanyahu called journalists who stood by and photographed Israeli tanks on fire, Hamas terrorists invading kibbutzim and leading away hostages, and terrorists lynching soldiers “accomplices in crimes against humanity.”

The Prime Minister added that their actions were contrary to journalistic ethics and called on the media outlets that hired them to take “immediate action.”

Unity government minister Benny Gantz said that journalists who knew about the massacre, who remained silent and took pictures” were “no different from terrorists.”

Israel Minister of Communication, Dr. Shlomo Karhi, sent a strongly worded letter which he shared on X to the media outlets that had employed the journalists–CNN, Reuters, The New York Times, and The Associated Press.

“The gravity of the situation demands a swift and thorough response. It’s now time for individuals, journalists and institutions, unions and organizations around the world to make a clear choice.”

CNN announced that it had cut ties with Hassan Eslaiah, who was photographed receiving a kiss on the cheek from the mastermind of the October 7th massacre, Yahya Sinwar.

However, CNN added that it has no reason to doubt his journalistic accuracy.

In addition to Eslaiah, Honest Reporting identified Yousef Masoud whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Hatem Ali, and Ali Mahmud.

Also named was Mohammed Fayq Abu Mustafa whose photo depicting the lynching of a soldier by a terrorist mob was chosen by Reuters as its “image of the day.”

Reuters, The New York Times, and The Associated Press responded to the criticism by denying they had any prior knowledge of the attack and dismissed the notion they embedded journalists in Gaza for that purpose, with The New York Times denouncing the suspicions as “reckless accusations.”

Although The New York Times denied Yousef Masoud was working for the publication on October 7, they added, “He has since done important work for us.”