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Survivors, Oct 7 victims’ families sue AP for supporting terrorism

The lawsuit alleges the journalists are ‘known Hamas associates who were gleefully embedded with the Hamas terrorists during the October 7th attacks.’

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Survivors of the October 7th massacre and victims’ families have filed a suit against the Associated Press for publishing the work of freelance journalists who were allegedly embedded with Hamas.

In November, an investigative report by Honest Reporting uncovered possible ties between journalists working with AP, Reuters, CNN and The New York Times and Hamas and raised questions about advanced knowledge the news agencies might have had of the terrorist attack.

The news agencies have denied having known of the terrorist group’s plans to invade Israel.

Honest Reporting pointed out the suspicious timing of journalists arriving so promptly on the scene and in some cases not wearing press vests.

The plaintiffs filed their complaint in the Southern District of Florida suing the AP for damages under the Antiterrorism Act.

They are being represented by the National Jewish Advocacy Center which accuses the AP of “materially supporting terrorism” by purchasing the photos taken by those who allegedly have terrorist ties.

The suit names four journalists who were present at the Nova Music Festival and the kibbutzim and whose photos were sold to the AP: Hassan Eslaiah, Yousef Masoud, Ali Mahmud, and Hatem Ali.

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The lawsuit claims these four are “known Hamas associates who were gleefully embedded with the Hamas terrorists during the October 7th attacks.”

The claim focuses on Eslaiah, who entered Kfar Aza without a press vest and took pictures of terrorists setting fire to an IDF tank.

Honest Reporting posted a photo on X of Eslaiah smiling and receiving a kiss on the cheek from October 7th mastermind Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Mahmud and Ali both took pictures of people being abducted from Israel into Gaza, the report said.

Masoud, who was given the Polk Award for photojournalism along with journalist Samar Abu Elouf, said he was on the scene so early because he was awakened at 5:30 am by the sound of rockets.

However, Hamas didn’t start firing missiles into Israel until an hour later at 6:30 am.

When Masoud received the Polk Award, Greg Winter, International managing editor of The New York Times, praised his work and said, “Under harrowing circumstances, they captured gripping and unforgettable images. Of frightened children looking skyward toward an Israeli plane. Of bodies pulled from the rubble of flattened buildings. Of a little boy touching the bloodied face of his dead baby sister. And of the chaos of hospitals overwhelmed by dazed, gravely injured patients.”