Hassan Eslaiah, a freelance photographer in Gaza, is at the center of a controversial expose claiming that he potentially holds close ties with Hamas. Media watchdog group HonestReporting questioned whether the freelancer had prior knowledge of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The group is also questioning whether the media organizations that he worked for knew about the attack in advance.
After HonestReporting’s report, which identified 3 additional journalists, was released, an undated photo surfaced, showing a Hamas leader kissing the cheek of Hassan. The group claims that the Hamas leader from the image was a mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack.
The Israeli government has seized on the watchdog report, with the prime minister’s office charging that “these journalists were accomplices in crimes against humanity” and demanding “immediate action be taken.”
The media organizations that employed the freelancer and published his photographs – CNN, The Associated Press, The New York Times and Reuters — have all denied having any prior knowledge of the attacks. The outlets have since cut ties with the freelancer.
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