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Foreign Media Journalists in Gaza Participated in Hamas’ ‘Loyalty’ Day
An aerial view shows the bodies of victims of an attack following a mass infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip lying on the ground in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, in southern Israel, Oct. 10, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg
Journalists working for foreign media outlets in Gaza have participated in Hamas’ “Day of Loyalty to the Palestinian Journalist” — an annual event hosted by the terror group’s Government Media Office with the stated aim of aligning the media with Hamas’ agenda — an exclusive HonestReporting investigation revealed.
Here are the highlights:
AP’s staff photographer Hatem Moussa delivered a video address at Hamas’ 2014 Loyalty Day event. It appears that his message was displayed on the same screen as the message of Abu Ubaida, the terror group’s military wing spokesperson. It was also published in propaganda style by Hamas’ official news agency.
AP’s photographer Fatima Shbair and AFP’s Mohammed Baba spoke in a promotional video for the 2021 event, in which they were also honored by Hamas for receiving international awards.
Two journalists were honored in the 2021 event as Hamas media office’s “work partners:” Yasser Qudih, who infiltrated into Israel on October 7 and recently won the Pulitzer Prize with Reuters’ photography staff, and The New York Times’ photographer Samar abu Elouf, who recently won the prestigious Polk Award.
At the 2022 event, two journalists were honored for serving on the judging panel of the Government Media Office’s media contest: Reuters cameraman Fadi Shanaa and AP’s Adel Hana, whom we exposed for teaching Hamas’ media courses.
Other journalists were honored in 2021 and 2022 for winning international awards. These included Reuters photographer Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, who recently also won the 2024 Staff Photography Pulitzer, and AP photographer Khalil Hamra.
In 2022, the terror group also gave monetary awards to two journalists who were exposed by HonestReporting for their infiltration into Israel and their links to Hamas — Hassan Eslaiah, who worked for AP and CNN, and Ashraf Amra who worked for Reuters.
The following details were compiled based on a review of Palestinian social and mainstream media. HonestReporting has reached out to the relevant media agencies for comment.
Message For Hamas
AP’s award-winning photographer Hatem Moussa, who has been working for the agency since 1998, delivered a recorded video message at Hamas’ Day of Loyalty event on December 31, 2014.
His address, in which he mainly thanked fellow journalists, was recorded after his injury in the 2014 Gaza war and posted by a colleague on Facebook.
But according to Hamas’ news agency, al-Rai, which seems to have added “context” to his words, his message was to expose “the occupation’s practices and crimes against Palestinians.”
And what’s most disturbing is that the report includes a picture of another speaker at the event, whose message was apparently displayed on the same screen: Abu Ubaida, Hamas’ military wing spokesperson, who threatened to kill Israeli hostages at the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war:
Hamas’ Abu Ubaida address
AP’s Hatem Moussa’s address.
It goes without saying that a journalist working for one of the world’s top media outlets cannot participate in an official Hamas event, nor deliver any message there while apparently sharing a stage with an armed terrorist. It compromises his objectivity and exposes disturbing ties to a proscribed terror group.
Moreover, it directly aids Hamas, which used Moussa’s appearance for its own propagandist goals.
Serving Hamas
Moussa’s colleague, AP’s photographer Fatima Shbair, followed suit. Her message, as well as that of AFP’s photographer Mohammed Baba, was included in a promotional video featuring award-winning journalists honored by Hamas in the December 31, 2021, Loyalty Day event.
Both Shbair and Baba thanked the Hamas Media Office in a gushing display of emotion, with Shbair calling its efforts “incredible” and Baba voicing hope the office will “adhere to its pledge.”
Here are the translated relevant clips from the full promo, which was shared on the Office’s Facebook page:
As long as the battle continues, we must continue conveying the truth, and getting this picture out to the world. What the Government Press Office does every year to honor Palestinian journalists and their efforts on the ground is incredible. It encourages all of the journalists to carry on with the mission.
To the Government Press Office, which every year celebrates and honors journalists and photographers, I say this: This demonstrates your connection to the journalists, and I hope you will always adhere to your pledge.
When journalists from the world’s leading news agencies appear in a propaganda video for Hamas, their journalistic integrity is as good as gone. They practically voice support and allegiance to the terror group’s agenda.
But they’re not alone.
In the 2021 and 2022 Loyalty Day events, several journalists working for international media were honored by Hamas for working with the Government Media Office, serving as judges in the Office’s media contest, or winning international awards.
In 2021, according to a Facebook Live stream posted on the Office’s page, those honored as its “work partners” were photographers Yasser Qudih and Samar Abu Elouf.
Qudih infiltrated into Israel on October 7 and recently won the Pulitzer Prize with Reuters Photography Staff, and Elouf —– who was also honored at the event for winning an international award — is a New York Times photographer, who recently won the prestigious Polk Award.
Hamas Media Office honors Yasser Qudih.
Hamas Media Office honors The New York Times’ freelancer Samar Abu Elouf.
In 2022, as seen in another Facebook Live of the annual event, Hamas honored AP’s veteran photographer Adel Hana and Reuters cameraman Fadi Shanaa, for serving on a judging panel for one of its media contests. Both donned an official scarf of the Hamas Government Media Office:
Hamas Media Office honors AP’s Adel Hana.
Hamas Media Office honors Reuters’ Fadi Shanaa.
Elouf’s and Hana’s commendation by Hamas is hardly surprising — Elouf had also spoken at a Hamas event she was honored at in 2012, as revealed by media analyst Eitan Fischberger.
And Hana was exposed by HonesReporting last July as having instructed media training courses supervised by the Hamas-run Information Ministry.
But the fact that they and other foreign media journalists in Gaza have actively served the Hamas government as “work partners” or official judges paints an even darker picture, equivalent to serving the Nazi propaganda ministry of Joseph Goebbels. Because those chosen for such positions are most likely those who abide by the standards that serve the propagandist terrorists, not the standards of ethical journalism.
Other journalists in the 2021 and 2022 events played a more passive yet unethical role by receiving honors for winning international awards. These included Reuters photographer Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, who recently also won the 2024 Staff Photography Pulitzer, and AP photographer Khalil Hamra.
How objective can their coverage of Hamas be after receiving such honors from them?
Hamas Media Office honors Reuters freelancer Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.
Hamas Media Office honors AP’s Khalil Hamra.
Lastly, Hamas has also given monetary awards to show its “loyalty” to Gazan journalists — making it clear that the equation is in fact the opposite.
Among those receiving the de-facto bribery in 2022 were two journalists exposed by HonestReporting last year: Hassan Eslaiah, who infiltrated into Israel on October 7 and was fired from CNN and AP after the exposure of his cozy photo with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. And Ashraf Amra, who worked for Reuters and shared a call on social media to infiltrate into the Jewish state.
No Transparency
The fact that the “Loyalty Day for the Palestinian Journalist” is organized by a so-called “government” body (as opposed to a military one) shouldn’t confuse anyone — the media office is de-facto run by Hamas.
And the office’s head, Salama Maarouf, is a Hamas official who shares podiums with figures like Ghazi Hamad, who vowed to repeat the October 7 massacre, in which 1,200 people were slaughtered in Israel:
Head of Hamas Government Media Office, Salama Maarouf (middle), delivering statement near Hamas official Ghazi Hamad (right).
Because these figures are in power, the extravagant show of “loyalty” to journalists in Gaza is in fact a show of deterrence to anyone who is not loyal to Hamas’ agenda.
For example, here is what Maarouf said back in 2015 about the purpose of the Loyalty Day:
Marouf explained that the “Day of Loyalty to the Palestinian Journalist” has been firmly established as part of the Palestinian national agenda, not just the media’s, emphasizing that the compass of the resistance should also be the compass of the Palestinian journalist.
The conclusion is clear: Whether they willingly cooperated with Hamas or not, these Gaza journalists cannot be objective. The give-and-take relationship with the terror group is too deep and official to detach from.
International media outlets must be transparent about the fact that their news from Gaza is one-sided.
They should also look into their journalists’ official and personal relations with Hamas, and discipline those who actively cooperate with the terrorists.
News consumers deserve nothing less.
HonestReporting is a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
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New Poll: Majority of NYC Voters ‘Less Likely’ to Support Mamdani Over His Refusal to Condemn ‘Globalize the Intifada’
Zohran Mamdani. Photo: Ron Adar / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect
In a warning sign for the campaign of Democratic nominee for mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani, a majority of city voters in a new poll say the candidate’s hardline anti-Israel stance makes them less likely to vote for him.
In the survey of likely city voters conducted by American Pulse, 52.5 percent said Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” coupled with his backing of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement made them less likely to vote for him in November. Just 31% of city voters polled were more likely to support him because of these positions.
At the same time, a significant share of young New York City voters support Mamdani’s anti-Israel positioning, a striking sign of shifting generational views on Israel and the Palestinian cause.
Nearly half of voters aged 18 to 44 (46 percent) said the State Assembly member’s backing for BDS and “refusal to condemn the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’” made them more likely to support him.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist from Queens, has been under fire for defending “globalize the intifada,” a slogan many Jewish groups associate with incitement to violence against Israel and Jews. While critics argue it glorifies terrorism, supporters claim it’s a call for international solidarity with oppressed peoples, especially Palestinians. Mamdani has also voiced support for BDS, a movement widely condemned by mainstream Jewish organizations as antisemitic for singling out Israel.
The generational divide exposed by the poll comes amid a broader political realignment. Younger progressives across the country are increasingly critical of Israeli policies, especially in the wake of the Gaza war, and more receptive to Palestinian activism. But to many Jewish leaders, Mamdani’s rising support is alarming.
Rabbi David Wolpe, visiting scholar at Harvard University, condemned the phrase with a sarcastic analogy.
“‘Globalize the intifada’ is just a political slogan,” he said. “Like ‘The cockroaches must be exterminated’ was just a housing authority slogan in Rwanda.”
Jewish organizations have reported a surge in antisemitic incidents in New York and across the U.S. since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war last fall. The blending of anti-Zionist slogans with calls for “intifada,” historically linked to violent uprisings, has deepened fears among Jewish communities that traditional red lines are being crossed.
Whether this emerging coalition reshapes New York politics remains to be seen. However, the poll indicates that among younger voters, views that were once considered fringe are quickly moving into the mainstream.
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Report: Jews Targeted at June’s Pride Month Events
A Jewish gay pride flag. Photo: Twitter.
The research division of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) released a report on Wednesday detailing incidents of hate against Jews which took place last month during demonstrations in celebration of LGBTQ rights and identity.
Incidents reported by the group include:
- At a Pride march in Wales, the activists Cymru Queers for Palestine chose to block the path and show a sign that said “Profiting from genocide,” an attempt to link the event’s sponsors — such as Amazon — to the war in Gaza.
- A Dublin Pride march saw the participation of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which labeled Israel a “genocidal entity.”
- In Toronto at a late June Pride march, demonstrators again attacked organizers with a sign declaring, “Pride partners with genocide.”
CAM also identified a recurring narrative deployed against Israel by some far-left activists: so-called “pinkwashing,” a term which the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement calls “an Israeli government propaganda strategy that cynically exploits LGBTQIA+ rights to project a progressive image while concealing Israel’s occupation and apartheid policies oppressing Palestinians.”
The report notes that at a Washington DC Pride event in early June Medea Benjamin, cofounder of activist group Code Pink and a regular of anti-war protests, wore a pair of goofy, oversized sunglasses and a shirt in her signature pink with the phrase “you can’t pinkwash genocide.”
Other incidents CAM recorded showed the injection of anti-Israel sentiment into Pride events.
A musical group canceled a performance at an interfaith service in Brooklyn, claiming the hosting synagogue had a “public alignment with pro-Israel political positions.” In San Francisco before the yearly Trans March, a Palestine group said in its announcement of its participation, “Stop the war on Iran and the genocide of Palestine, stop the war on immigrants and attacks on trans people.”
CAM notes that this “queers for Palestine” sentiment is not new, pointing to a 2017 event wherein “organizers of the Chicago Dyke March infamously removed participants who were waving a Pride flag adorned with a Star of David on the grounds that the symbol ‘made people feel unsafe.’”
In February, the Israel Defense Forces shared with the New York Post documents it had recovered demonstrating that Hamas had tortured and executed members it suspected of homosexuality and other moral offenses in conflict with Islamist ideology.
Amit Benjamin, who is gay and a first sergeant major in the IDF, said during a visit to New York City for Pride month that “All the ‘queers for Gaza’ need to open their eyes. Hamas kills gays … kills lesbians … queers cannot exist in Gaza.”
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IAEA pulls inspectors from Iran as standoff over access drags on
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl/File Photo
The UN nuclear watchdog said on Friday it had pulled its last remaining inspectors from Iran as a standoff over their return to the country’s nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel deepens.
Israel launched its first military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in a 12-day war with the Islamic Republic three weeks ago. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspectors have not been able to inspect Iran’s facilities since then, even though IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said that is his top priority.
Iran’s parliament has now passed a law to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until the safety of its nuclear facilities can be guaranteed. While the IAEA says Iran has not yet formally informed it of any suspension, it is unclear when the agency’s inspectors will be able to return to Iran.
“An IAEA team of inspectors today safely departed from Iran to return to the Agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict,” the IAEA said on X.
Diplomats said the number of IAEA inspectors in Iran was reduced to a handful after the June 13 start of the war. Some have also expressed concern about the inspectors’ safety since the end of the conflict, given fierce criticism of the agency by Iranian officials and Iranian media.
Iran has accused the agency of effectively paving the way for the bombings by issuing a damning report on May 31 that led to a resolution by the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said he stands by the report. He has denied it provided diplomatic cover for military action.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday Iran remained committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
“[Grossi] reiterated the crucial importance of the IAEA discussing with Iran modalities for resuming its indispensable monitoring and verification activities in Iran as soon as possible,” the IAEA said.
The US and Israeli military strikes either destroyed or badly damaged Iran’s three uranium enrichment sites. But it was less clear what has happened to much of Iran’s nine tonnes of enriched uranium, especially the more than 400 kg enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from weapons grade.
That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful, but Western powers say there is no civil justification for enriching to such a high level, and the IAEA says no country has done so without developing the atom bomb.
As a party to the NPT, Iran must account for its enriched uranium, which normally is closely monitored by the IAEA, the body that enforces the NPT and verifies countries’ declarations. But the bombing of Iran’s facilities has now muddied the waters.
“We cannot afford that … the inspection regime is interrupted,” Grossi told a press conference in Vienna last week.
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