An investigation published yesterday (Wednesday) by the pro-Israel website Honest Reporting shows the presence of photographers from the AP and Reuters news agencies at the events of October 7, as well as the personal connections of one of them with Hamas. The site wondered if they had received advance information about the attack, given that they recorded the departure of a Gazan mob towards the settlements and other scenes.
According to the investigation, the photos from the terrorist attack by Hamas on the settlements around Gaza about a month ago, as well as the official credit given to the photographers in the news agencies, illustrate the involvement of several independent photographers working in the Gaza Strip for a series of international media in the event.
The investigation indicates that one of them, Hassan Ashiq, a photographer for AP and CNN, documented a burnt tank that was hit by Hamas terrorists near the fence, and then the crowds entering the Gaza village that was under attack by Hamas. “He did this without wearing a vest with press lettering and without protective equipment,” it said.
In addition, I will live broadcast his presence “in the Israeli settlements”. A past photo of him hugging Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and even receiving a kiss from him, was seen and surfaced after the investigation. CNN announced after the publication that it had suspended him, but he continues to serve as a freelance photographer for the AP.
In the hours following our expose, new material is still coming to light concerning Gazan freelance journalist Hassan Eslaiah whom both AP & CNN used on Oct. 7.
Here he is pictured with Hamas leader and mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre, Yahya Sinwar. https://t.co/S9pXeIGaFq pic.twitter.com/RmEZU5RsM8
– HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) November 8, 2023
Another photographer, who works in addition to his work at AP for the “New York Times”, also accompanied those who left Gaza towards the kibbutzim and Israeli cities, and documented this in photographs published by the news agency.
Two other photographers remained in the Gaza Strip and documented the abduction of the Israeli citizens into the Gaza Strip; Among other things, the photographers documented an elderly woman being taken on a scooter as well as the abuse of the body of Shani Lok, the Israeli-German citizen who was murdered at the Nova music festival and transported to Gaza in a van, with her body almost without clothes, and passersby spit on her and beat her.
Terrorists return to Gaza on top of an Israeli Hummer / photo: ap, Abed Abu Reash
Some of the photographers mentioned in the investigation still shoot for AP
In addition to the four AP photographers mentioned in the investigation, two independent photographers from the Reuters news agency are noted. One of them documented the beating and kidnapping of an Israeli soldier from a tank that was near the Gaza fence. The photos are still available on the AP website, but the credits to the photographers have been removed, according to the Honest Reporting website.
The site raises a series of hypothetical questions regarding the level of knowledge of the photographers regarding Hamas activities, and whether they were notified in advance. However, it seems that a large part of the photos were taken after the initial attack, which was documented by Hamas terrorists, at a stage when the many holes in the fence led civilians to try to go out and loot and even kidnap Israeli citizens independently, with promises from Hamas of thousands of dollars, according to investigations of captured terrorists.
The Az ad-Din al-Qassam battalions enter the Israeli side of the fence / Photo: Reuters, Hani Alshaer
The American news agency AP has not yet announced any response regarding the allegations. Some of the photographers mentioned in the investigation continued to photograph for her.
The New York Times came under similar criticism last month, after it became clear that a freelance reporter for the newspaper in the Gaza Strip had published posts praising Hitler. The newspaper clarified that it “spoke with the reporter” and “made sure to clarify the concerns on the subject”. According to a check on the newspaper’s website, he continued to publish articles almost daily until the middle of October.
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