The Israeli government has accused freelance photographers working for major news organizations, including The New York Times, of being “accomplices” in the killing and abductions of Israeli soldiers and civilians by Hamas fighters. The accusation was based on a report by the pro-Israel media watchdog group, Honest Reporting, which has criticized The Times and other news organizations for anti-Israel bias. The government’s statement called the journalists’ actions contrary to professional ethics. The watchdog group questioned the presence of six Gaza-based photographers, working for The Associated Press and Reuters, who were early to document the incursion by Hamas into Israel on October 7. The photographers captured images of the destroyed Israeli tank and Hamas fighters transporting kidnapped Israelis back to Gaza. The images were published by The Associated Press and Reuters. The Times denied the allegations and stated that their freelancer, Yousef Masoud, was not on assignment for them on that day. The Times reviewed Masoud’s work and determined that he was documenting the tragedy as it unfolded. The furor over the Gaza photographers is part of a broader information war that has occurred alongside the actual war. Claims and counterclaims often based on doctored images or disinformation have emerged on social media sites. Western news organizations face challenges in covering the war due to limited access to Gaza. Israel and Egypt have restricted entry, and Hamas imposes restrictions on what reporters can cover. Honest Reporting stood by its reporting, while The Associated Press and Reuters denied any advance knowledge of the attack. CNN and Reuters suspended ties with one of the photographers in question. The Times declined to discuss the case of another freelance contributor who had been criticized for a social media post in 2012.
