Their photos went around the world: did these Gaza photographers know about the Hamas attack?

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On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. Hundreds of Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel and killed more than 1,400 people. Another 240 people were taken hostage. Media reported live about the event. Her photos shocked the whole world.

A report from the non-governmental organization Honest Reporting now sheds light on the photographers who took these photos. The focus is on six journalists from the Gaza Strip who documented what happened that Saturday morning. Their images were distributed by the news agencies Reuters and Associated Press (AP). They were also featured in the New York Times and CNN. Since all the photojournalists arrived on the scene on time, the question arises: was it a coincidence or did they know about the attack in advance? And why did they get away safely?

Eslaiah was in the Israeli border area on October 7. Screenshots of a now-deleted post on He also posted a video in which he said: “Everyone who was in the tank was recently kidnapped by the al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas).”

Later he took photos of kibbutz Kfar Aza. They show Hamas members trying to break through a fence and a burning house. The images were distributed by CNN and AP.

After Honest Reporting wondered how Eslaiah was in the right place at the right time, a different picture emerged. It doesn’t make the journalist look good. Because: Eslaiah then receives a kiss on the cheek from Yahya Sinwar – the head of Hamas himself.

Mostafa and Qudih were also at the border at the right time, also on Israeli territory. They also took pictures of a burning Israeli tank there. Mostafa even filmed a gang torturing an Israeli soldier and pulling him out of a tank. The images were published by Reuters. The photo of the soldier was identified by the news agency as one of the “photos of the day”. A warning has been added.

Masoud lives – like the other journalists – in the Gaza Strip. But Masoud was also on Israeli soil and took pictures of Israeli tanks. He works for the AP and the New York Times.

The two photojournalists Ali Mahmud and Hatem Ali captured images of the kidnappings by Hamas on October 7. These were used by the AP. A photo taken by Ali shows hostages being taken to the Gaza Strip in a golf cart. Images of Mahmoud also show the body of Shani Louk lying on a Hamas truck. The German-Israeli was killed by the terrorists.

AP spokeswoman Nicole Meir told the Daily Wire: “The Associated Press was not aware of the October 7 attacks before they occurred. The AP’s mission is to gather information about major news events around the world, wherever they happen. AP uses images taken by freelancers around the world, including in Gaza.”

The New York Times reacted with horror to the accusations and rejected the accusation. “Making such accusations is reckless and endangers our journalists in Israel and Gaza,” the report said in a statement. Yousef Masoud would not have worked for the newspaper on October 7. “He has done important work for us since then,” the post continued.

CNN told Ynetnews that it has decided to end all relations with Eslaiah – although the broadcaster said there is “no reason to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us.”

Reuters also rejects all accusations. The news agency told Bild: “Reuters has obtained photographs from two Gaza-based freelance photographers who were at the border on the morning of October 7 and with whom Reuters had no previous relationship.”

The news agency further emphasizes that the published images were not taken immediately: “The photos published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets into southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said armed men had crossed the border and absorbed it. This implies that the journalists had time to travel to the scene.

The Israeli government finds harsher words. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (74) accuses the journalists of having ties to Hamas: “These journalists were complicit in crimes against humanity; Their actions were contrary to professional ethics.”

Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz (64), who currently works in the war cabinet, also wrote. (Mrs)

Source: Blick