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Sympathy to Scorn: The Fight Against Anti-Israel Media Coverage Since October 7
Partygoers at the Supernova Psy-Trance Festival who filmed the events that unfolded on Oct. 7, 2023. Photo: Yes Studios
There are few words left that can fully encapsulate the sheer horror of October 7, 2023 — the day when Hamas terrorists, alongside Palestinian civilians, unleashed an unfathomable wave of barbarity and bloodlust on defenseless men, women, and children.
The brutality they inflicted is almost unspeakable, and the fear and anguish endured by the victims continue to haunt those who survived.
Some survivors, along with those held hostage in Gaza and later freed in prisoner exchanges, have bravely shared their stories, while many remain too traumatized to speak. Heartbroken families who exchanged their final words with loved ones trapped inside their homes by armed terrorists have also shared their grief. First responders and emergency personnel who rushed to the scene have detailed, in raw terms, the atrocities they witnessed and the lives they struggled to save.
But the voices we will never hear belong to those who endured the very worst of Hamas’ barbarism — those who were tortured, sexually assaulted, mutilated, and murdered in cold blood.
Many of these horrific acts were captured by the body cameras of the terrorists themselves, who filmed not only the slaughter but also their sickening pride in committing such violence. Their actions, and the sadistic glee they reveled in, reveal the depth of cruelty and hatred that October 7 has come to represent.
October 7th marked the single deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. In those immediate hours, there was a fleeting moment when the world — or at least the media — seemed united in grief. As Israelis and Jews across the Diaspora wept over the unfathomable brutality inflicted upon their community, it appeared that the world too was mourning.
However, for some in the media, the words “Never Again,” or the resonant “Never Again is Now,” echoed in the aftermath of October 7, were not to be taken literally.
Once Israel began its defensive response against Hamas — a genocidal terrorist group openly committed to repeating the October 7 massacre until Israel and its people are wiped from the earth — the backlash from certain corners of the media was swift, disproportionate, and relentless.
The narrative shifted from grief and horror, to harsh criticism of Israel’s right to defend itself, betraying the brief sense of solidarity that had momentarily surfaced.
Indeed, barely 72 hours had passed since the first wave of Hamas terrorists crossed the border, when the media began laying the foundation for what would soon become a widespread and reckless accusation: that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
The “genocide libel” is not new — far from it.
However, the speed and ease with which it was embraced by those who should know better was staggering.
Take Reuters on October 10, when they published a piece with a headline quoting the Palestinian UN envoy accusing Israel of launching a “genocidal campaign against Gaza.”
This accusation, made by Riyad H. Mansour, was based on false claims — none of the alleged actions amounting to genocide had occurred, including the use of “starvation as a method of warfare” or an “attempt to eradicate their national existence.” Yet, Reuters ran with the incendiary headline regardless. From that moment, the dye was set, and the narrative began to take shape. Despite all facts to the contrary, the genocide accusation would take on a life of its own, stubbornly persisting in public discourse.
The Attempted Mainstreaming of October 7 Revisionism
One of the key tactics used to delegitimize Israel’s right to self-defense — and, by extension, its very right to exist — is the spread of October 7 revisionism. This campaign either denies aspects of Hamas’ crimes or downplays the massacre altogether. While these narratives didn’t necessarily originate in the media, those seeking Israel’s destruction have found willing enablers — whether unwitting or deliberate — within mainstream outlets to advance their cause.
This campaign has centered on three main points: denying the sexual violence committed by Hamas terrorists, framing the attack as a legitimate act of resistance, and claiming that Israel is exploiting October 7 to “occupy” Gaza.
Denial of Hamas Sexual Violence
The denial of Hamas’ well-documented sexual crimes began with conspiracy outlets like The Intercept and The Grayzone, but these narratives gained some legitimacy through a minority of mainstream media coverage.
Political podcaster Brianna Joy Gray, for example, suggested that believing Israeli women were raped was an “overreach” because none had “offered testimony.” Gray was later fired from The Hill after rolling her eyes at Yarden Gonen, the sister of hostage Romi Gonen, who was appealing for her to believe the accounts of Israeli victims.
Masha Gessen contributed to this narrative in The New Yorker, with a feature that purported to “investigate” the sexual violence on October 7, only to ultimately accuse Israel of “weaponizing” these crimes.
While Gessen did not outright deny that sexual violence occurred, the piece downplayed its extent and gravity, casting doubt on a UN investigation led by Pramila Patten and dismissing witness testimony.
#MashaGessen Tells #BigLies About #10/7 #Rapes
In the New Yorker, Gessen, a freakish anti-Zionist, claims that the #IDF also allegedly rapes Arabs, that all wars involve rapes–there’s nothing to see here. Move right on.
Not so fast. Rape has always been a spoil of war, not a…
— Phyllis Chesler (@Phyllischesler) July 21, 2024
However, organizations like HonestReporting countered this denial early on, preventing the falsehood from gaining a foothold or becoming widespread in mainstream media.
Claiming to be a “report on eight months of claim & counter-claim” about the sexual violence against Israelis on Oct 7, @thetimes foreign correspondent @scribblercat & @gabrielle_siviais’ story is nothing more than a muddle of victim-blaming & bias. https://t.co/hDoKgnyjc0
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) June 9, 2024
Framing the Hamas Massacre as a Legitimate Act of “Resistance”
Another narrative that originated in the antisemitic corners of the Internet has been amplified by sections of the mainstream media: the claim that Hamas’ October 7 attack was a legitimate act of resistance.
The BBC, in particular, has come under significant scrutiny.
An analysis of four months of its coverage, starting on October 7, uncovered a staggering 1,500 breaches of its own editorial guidelines.
This investigation, led by UK lawyer Trevor Asserson and his firm, involved a team of around 20 lawyers and 20 data scientists. It exposed systemic failures in maintaining impartiality and accuracy. Among the findings was the BBC’s frequent portrayal of Hamas in sympathetic terms, particularly as a “resistance movement,” with its fighters referred to as “soldiers.” One of the most egregious examples was a headline that described Hamas’ October 7 assault as a “spectacular” operation.
Numerous other mainstream outlets have also echoed this narrative of “resistance.” However, continued efforts to counter this grotesque framing have been effective in pushing back against the spread of this dangerous revisionism.
Hinting Israel is Using October 7 as a Pretext to Occupy Gaza
From CNN to the BBC, parts of the media have pushed the narrative that Israel will use the Hamas massacre as an excuse to seize Gaza.
This misleading claim relies on statements from a small group of right-wing Israeli politicians, who do not represent the broader Israeli population or government, to imply that Israel’s long-term strategy is to occupy the Strip.
Guardian columnist Owen Jones, who has also cast doubt on Hamas’s sexual violence, falsely claimed on Good Morning Britain that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had laid the first stone of a new settlement in Gaza.
After HonestReporting revealed that Jones had mistranslated Netanyahu’s speech — he was actually referring to a destroyed kibbutz in the Gaza Envelope, outside of Gaza — Jones issued a correction.
More lies from @OwenJones84 who falsely claimed on @ITV‘s @GMB that Israeli PM Netanyahu was in northern Gaza “laying a rock” for a new settlement & talking about rebuilding Gaza settlements.
Actually, Netanyahu was in the south of Israel, not northern Gaza, laying the… pic.twitter.com/AuLW5ALeSt
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) December 3, 2023
Just want to correct an error I made on @GMB on Thursday.
On my way to the studios, I read this tweet which was widely circulated and understood as Benjamin Netanyahu committing to building new settlements on the Gaza Strip.
In fact it was a Google Translate error which… https://t.co/8BgBLVpbWF
— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) December 3, 2023
Exposing and Confronting October 7 Distortion
The battle against the distortion of October 7’s atrocities has demonstrated that swift, decisive action is essential to stopping dangerous falsehoods from taking root. The screening of Bearing Witness –– a film that reveals Hamas’ body cam footage of the massacre — was an unflinching and effective way of showing the brutal reality to journalists and key figures. The film struck a careful balance between honoring the memories of the victims and survivors, while ensuring the truth was communicated to the wider public.
Organizations like mine — HonestReporting — have been relentless in exposing those who spread revisionist lies, actively shaming individuals and media outlets that seek to downplay or distort the reality of Hamas’ brutality. Left unchecked, these falsehoods risk becoming entrenched in public consciousness, much like the insidious “genocide libel.”
But HonestReporting’s efforts show that it is possible to stop these distortions before they metastasize into accepted narratives. The truth is not just a countermeasure — it’s a weapon against the lies proliferating online, in social media, and in print.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Sympathy to Scorn: The Fight Against Anti-Israel Media Coverage Since October 7 first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire
Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing said on Friday that while the Palestinian terrorist group favors reaching an interim truce in the Gaza war, if such an agreement is not reached in current negotiations it could revert to insisting on a full package deal to end the conflict.
Hamas has previously offered to release all the hostages held in Gaza and conclude a permanent ceasefire agreement, and Israel has refused, Abu Ubaida added in a televised speech.
Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have hosted more than 10 days of talks on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce in the war.
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on a call he had with Pope Leo on Friday that Israel‘s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and 60-day ceasefire “have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.”
As part of the potential deal, 10 hostages held in Gaza would be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
“If the enemy remains obstinate and evades this round as it has done every time before, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or the proposal of the 10 captives,” said Abu Ubaida.
Disputes remain over maps of Israeli army withdrawals, aid delivery mechanisms into Gaza, and guarantees that any eventual truce would lead to ending the war, said two Hamas officials who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
The officials said the talks have not reached a breakthrough on the issues under discussion.
Hamas says any agreement must lead to ending the war, while Netanyahu says the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and its leaders expelled from Gaza.
Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Over 250 hostages were kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught.
Israel responded with an ongoing military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
The post Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel
People hold images of the victims of the 1994 bombing attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) community center, marking the 30th anniversary of the attack, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Irina Dambrauskas
Iran on Friday marked the 31st anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires by slamming Argentina for what it called “baseless” accusations over Tehran’s alleged role in the terrorist attack and accusing Israel of politicizing the atrocity to influence the investigation and judicial process.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the anniversary of Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
“While completely rejecting the accusations against Iranian citizens, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns attempts by certain Argentine factions to pressure the judiciary into issuing baseless charges and politically motivated rulings,” the statement read.
“Reaffirming that the charges against its citizens are unfounded, the Islamic Republic of Iran insists on restoring their reputation and calls for an end to this staged legal proceeding,” it continued.
Last month, a federal judge in Argentina ordered the trial in absentia of 10 Iranian and Lebanese nationals suspected of orchestrating the attack in Buenos Aires.
The ten suspects set to stand trial include former Iranian and Lebanese ministers and diplomats, all of whom are subject to international arrest warrants issued by Argentina for their alleged roles in the terrorist attack.
In its statement on Friday, Iran also accused Israel of influencing the investigation to advance a political campaign against the Islamist regime in Tehran, claiming the case has been used to serve Israeli interests and hinder efforts to uncover the truth.
“From the outset, elements and entities linked to the Zionist regime [Israel] exploited this suspicious explosion, pushing the investigation down a false and misleading path, among whose consequences was to disrupt the long‑standing relations between the people of Iran and Argentina,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
“Clear, undeniable evidence now shows the Zionist regime and its affiliates exerting influence on the Argentine judiciary to frame Iranian nationals,” the statement continued.
In April, lead prosecutor Sebastián Basso — who took over the case after the 2015 murder of his predecessor, Alberto Nisman — requested that federal Judge Daniel Rafecas issue national and international arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over his alleged involvement in the attack.
Since 2006, Argentine authorities have sought the arrest of eight Iranians — including former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died in 2017 — yet more than three decades after the deadly bombing, all suspects remain still at large.
In a post on X, the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), the country’s Jewish umbrella organization, released a statement commemorating the 31st anniversary of the bombing.
“It was a brutal attack on Argentina, its democracy, and its rule of law,” the group said. “At DAIA, we continue to demand truth and justice — because impunity is painful, and memory is a commitment to both the present and the future.”
31 años del atentado a la AMIA – DAIA. 31 años sin justicia.
El 18 de julio de 1994, un atentado terrorista dejó 85 personas muertas y más de 300 heridas. Fue un ataque brutal contra la Argentina, su democracia y su Estado de derecho.
Desde la DAIA, seguimos exigiendo verdad y… pic.twitter.com/kV2ReGNTIk
— DAIA (@DAIAArgentina) July 18, 2025
Despite Argentina’s longstanding belief that Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah terrorist group carried out the devastating attack at Iran’s request, the 1994 bombing has never been claimed or officially solved.
Meanwhile, Tehran has consistently denied any involvement and refused to arrest or extradite any suspects.
To this day, the decades-long investigation into the terrorist attack has been plagued by allegations of witness tampering, evidence manipulation, cover-ups, and annulled trials.
In 2006, former prosecutor Nisman formally charged Iran for orchestrating the attack and Hezbollah for carrying it out.
Nine years later, he accused former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — currently under house arrest on corruption charges — of attempting to cover up the crime and block efforts to extradite the suspects behind the AMIA atrocity in return for Iranian oil.
Nisman was killed later that year, and to this day, both his case and murder remain unresolved and under ongoing investigation.
The alleged cover-up was reportedly formalized through the memorandum of understanding signed in 2013 between Kirchner’s government and Iranian authorities, with the stated goal of cooperating to investigate the AMIA bombing.
The post Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns
Murad Adailah, the head of Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, attends an interview with Reuters in Amman, Jordan, Sept. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jehad Shelbak
The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movements, has been implicated in a wide-ranging network of illegal financial activities in Jordan and abroad, according to a new investigative report.
Investigations conducted by Jordanian authorities — along with evidence gathered from seized materials — revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood raised tens of millions of Jordanian dinars through various illegal activities, the Jordan news agency (Petra) reported this week.
With operations intensifying over the past eight years, the report showed that the group’s complex financial network was funded through various sources, including illegal donations, profits from investments in Jordan and abroad, and monthly fees paid by members inside and outside the country.
The report also indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood has taken advantage of the war in Gaza to raise donations illegally.
Out of all donations meant for Gaza, the group provided no information on where the funds came from, how much was collected, or how they were distributed, and failed to work with any international or relief organizations to manage the transfers properly.
Rather, the investigations revealed that the Islamist network used illicit financial mechanisms to transfer funds abroad.
According to Jordanian authorities, the group gathered more than JD 30 million (around $42 million) over recent years.
With funds transferred to several Arab, regional, and foreign countries, part of the money was allegedly used to finance domestic political campaigns in 2024, as well as illegal activities and cells.
In April, Jordan outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s most vocal opposition group, and confiscated its assets after members of the Islamist movement were found to be linked to a sabotage plot.
The movement’s political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, became the largest political grouping in parliament after elections last September, although most seats are still held by supporters of the government.
Opponents of the group, which is banned in most Arab countries, label it a terrorist organization. However, the movement claims it renounced violence decades ago and now promotes its Islamist agenda through peaceful means.
The post Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns first appeared on Algemeiner.com.