Harrowing footage distributed by Israeli media on Wednesday, April 17, showed Palestinian cameramen filming the violent abduction of Yarden Bibas into Gaza on October 7.
While their identity remains unclear, their presence amid a blood-thirsty mob of terrorists proves a disturbing truth: Gaza-based journalists covering Hamas atrocities that day did not bravely risk their lives, as declared by institutions that recently granted them awards, but operated easily without any objections from the perpetrators.
“Innocent Palestinian civilians” brutally kidnapping Yarden Bibas on October 7 👇
https://t.co/Tf1KWFO1gH— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) April 17, 2024
In the video, a professional camera hovering over a Palestinian mob can be seen as its operator nonchalantly tries to focus on the terrified Bibas, who is tightly held on a motorbike in the middle of the chaotic scene.
34-year-old Bibas — whose wife Shiri and two young sons Ariel and Kfir have been abducted in a separate incident — is seen surrounded by armed men, bloodied, beaten, abused, and yelled at.
But the cameraman, as well as whoever films the video footage and others who hold up their phones, care only about capturing Bibas’s suffering, most likely in order to sell the footage to local and international news outlets.
As Yarden Bibas was kidnapped by a mob of Gazan terrorists, Palestinian photojournalists and cameramen working for foreign press agencies took footage and photos at the scene.
This is what the mainstream media considered to be “bravely risking their lives.” https://t.co/VkTk0SqcOs pic.twitter.com/22Zg06qgOs
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) April 17, 2024
That they could operate freely amidst the barbarity suggests that they were there with, at the very least, tacit approval from the mob. In fact, including journalists as part of the invading force was always part of Hamas’ plan.
Gaza-based journalists were there not just to document, but to exploit.
HonestReporting exposed this connection in November 2023, revealing that Gaza-based photojournalists had infiltrated into Israel with Hamas on October 7.
Subsequently, CNN and AP cut ties with one of them — Hassan Eslaiah — who had been photographed with none other than Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Related Reading: Broken Borders: AP & Reuters Pictures of Hamas Atrocities Raise Ethical Questions
But in general, media outlets failed to acknowledge these ethical violations. Not only do they still offer for sale pictures showing the lynching of an Israeli soldier or the abductions of civilians into Gaza. They showcase them in their selective war footage galleries, and win prestigious awards with them.
This is not journalism.
As revealed last month by Israel’s Channel 12 news magazine Uvda, the documentation and distribution of the October 7 atrocities was part of Hamas’ vicious plan.
And as an Islamic Jihad spokesperson recently admitted, international media reporters in Gaza have been willingly dancing to Hamas’ tune.
Related Reading: Liars and Marionettes: Media Ignore Exposure of How Terror Groups Manipulate Gaza News
So if we put two and two together, it’s clear that the video that captured media workers filming Bibas’ abduction shows only one example out of many.
As Hamas slaughtered more than 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others, Gaza-based journalists were there to document.
Others celebrated the massacre on social media, like Motaz Azaiza, who – just this week – has been shamelessly declared one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people of 2024.
It is stunningly irresponsible for @Time to allow Motaz Azaiza to rewrite history and to declare him one of the most influential people of 2024. On October 7, he celebrated the start of the war he's now "raising awareness" for the world to stop. https://t.co/e1uKX8lqHu https://t.co/0cQmAvlV8I
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) April 17, 2024
But any profit or recognition gained by such “journalists” or their organizations is tainted.
It’s been achieved thanks to Hamas’ passive or active approval, on the back of innocent people like Yarden Bibas.
Liked this article? Follow HonestReporting on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to see even more posts and videos debunking news bias and smears, as well as other content explaining what’s really going on in Israel and the region.
