On 8 November, pro-Israel media watchdog Honest Reporting raised questions about the possible prior knowlege of Gaza-based freelance photojournalists working for international media, due to their presence at the Israeli-Gaza border fence in the early hours of the Hamas-led massacre on 7 October.
Following these allegations, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi accused Associated Press (AP), Reuters, The New York Times and CNN of employing photojournalists who it suggested might be accomplices in the massacre, and requested an immediate investigation.
The IFJ recalls that the Israeli accusations violate UN Security Council Resolutions 2222/2015 and 1738/2006, which condemn international attacks against journalists and media workers in situations of armed conflict. It is the responsibility of the UN Security Council, especially its permanent members to protect the systematic degradation of international law.
On 8 November, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, stated on ‘X’ that if journalists had prior knowledge about the massacre, “they are no different from terrorists and should be treated as such”.
On the same day, MP for the ruling Likud party, Danny Danon, (and previous representative of Israel at the UN) declared that Israel will eliminate all perpetrators of the 7 October attack, and that “photojournalists who recorded the assault will be added to the list”.
On 9 November, Reuters, AP, The New York Times and CNN issued statements denying having had any prior knowledge of the October 7 attacks.
Pro-Israel media watchdog posted a photo of freelance photographer Hassan Eslaiah being kissed in the cheek by Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. AP reported that it was no longer working with Eslaiah and CNN confirmed that it had suspended its work with him. Israeli media stated that it is not clear when this photo was taken.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), an IFJ affiliate, said in a statement published on 10 November: “The events of October 7 lasted for a few hours, during which some of the settlements around the Gaza strip were accessible to everyone, and therefore it was normal for journalists to reach those areas and cover what happened. Any claim that journalists had prior knowledge of the events is a malicious claim aimed at inciting the targeting of palestinian journalists and an attempt to justify the Israeli occupation’s crimes committed against them.”
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We condemn in the strongest terms the incendiary comments made by Israeli officials comparing Gaza-based photojournalists, who covered the early hours of the Hamas attack, to terrorists. Severe allegations as such put the lives of reporters in serious danger and make media professionals a target of attacks. The IFJ recalls that being present at the scene of events is part of the journalist's work and covering violence is not the same thing as condoning it.
These comments are all the more disturbing given the terrible number of journalists in Gaza that have already been killed, and the widespread belief among media workers that they are being targeted by the IDF".