Media watchdog links freelance photographers to Hamas; news outlets react

[Karah Rucker | Anchor]

A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER IN GAZA HAS BEEN FIRED FROM CNN AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AFTER A CONTROVERSIAL EXPOSE REVEALED HE POTENTIALLY HOLDS CLOSE TIES WITH HAMAS.

THE REPORT QUESTIONS WHETHER THE FREELANCER HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ATTACK GIVEN HIS POSITION ON THE GROUND – AND IF THE MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS HE WORKED FOR WERE ALSO CLUED IN PRIOR TO OCTOBER 7TH.

CNN, AP, THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND REUTERS DENY HAVING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HAMAS PLANNING TO UNLEASH AN ASSAULT AGAINST ISRAEL.

“HONEST-REPORTING” IS THE MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUP THAT INVESTIGATED THE PHOTOJOURNALISTS IN GAZA. THE ORGANIZATION’S PURPOSE – THEY SAY IS TO “EXPOSE BIASES IN MEDIA COVERAGE OF ISRAEL.” IT CLAIMS FOUR FREELANCERS USED BY THE MEDIA IN ITS COVERAGE OF THE WAR ARE LINKED TO THE TERROR GROUP.

THIS PHOTOJOURNALIST IS AT THE CENTER OF THEIR INVESTIGATION.
“HASSAN ESLAIAH”.
AFTER THE EXPOSE LINKED HASSAN WITH HAMAS – THIS UNDATED PHOTO SURFACED. THE WATCHDOG GROUP SAYS IT’S OF A HAMAS LEADER – THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE OCTOBER 7TH MASSACRE – KISSING THE CHEEK OF HASSAN.

THESE ARE AMONG SOME OF THE QUESTIONS POSED BY THE WATCHDOG GROUP.
“Is it conceivable to assume that ‘journalists’ just happened to appear early in the morning at the border without prior coordination with the terrorists? Or were they part of the plan?”

[Karah Rucker]
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SPOKE WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HONEST REPORTING –
WHO CLARIFIED THE ORGANIZATION IS NOT A NEWS OUTLET – BUT RATHER A WATCHDOG GROUP ONLY RAISING QUESTIONS.
THOSE QUESTIONS POSED – LED
TO THE OUSTING OF HASSAN.
AND – HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’S OFFICE ISSUED A LETTER TO THE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HIRED THE FREELANCERS NAMED IN THE EXPOSE –
ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND CLARITY.
THEY ALSO CONDEMNED ANY FREELANCERS WITH ALLEGED TIES TO HAMAS.

WHILE CNN, AP, THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND REUTERS DISPUTE **ANY CLAIMS OF A LARGER INVOLVEMENT FROM THE MEDIA –
THEY ARE ALSO CRITICIZING THE WATCHDOG GROUP BEHIND THE EXPOSE.
THE NEW YORK TIMES HAD NOT PAID FOR PHOTOS FROM HASSAN.
BUT FROM – “YOUSEF MASOUD” – ANOTHER PHOTOJOURNALIST NAMED IN THE EXPOSE AND ACCUSED OF BEING CLOSE TO HAMAS.

THE TIMES SAYS QUOTE “There is no evidence for Honest Reporting’s insinuations. Our review of his work shows that he was doing what photojournalists always do during major news events, documenting the tragedy as it unfolded. We are gravely concerned that unsupported accusations and threats to freelancers endangers them and undermines work that serves the public interest.”

IN CNN’S REPORT ACKNOWLEDGING IT HAS SEVERED TIES WITH HASSAN –
THE NEWS OUTLET CALLS THE EXPOSE “a thinly sourced report from an agenda-driven media monitoring group”.

THE WATCHDOG GROUP HAS REFUTED BACKLASH OVER ITS EXPOSE.
REFERRING TO “PEOPLE WITH AN AGENDA” – THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS “THEY ACTED AS IF WE WERE STATING FACTS INSTEAD OF ASKING QUESTIONS. WE RAISED QUESTIONS AND IT LED THE MEDIA OUTLETS TO CLARIFY THE TRUTH. GREAT, THAT’S WHAT WE DO.”