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UK Outlet Caught Using Compromised Gaza Journalist Who Posed With Sinwar
The personal belongings of festival-goers are seen at the site of an attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Oct. 12, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Media outlets should know by now that when it comes to hiring Gaza freelancers — caution is advised.
As HonestReporting has repeatedly exposed, the vast majority of foreign media journalists in the Gaza Strip are deeply compromised — some receive annual awards from Hamas and others have personal connections to the terrorists.
One of them is Hassan Eslaiah, whose memorable photo with former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar circulated online after we exposed he had infiltrated into Israel on October 7 and documented atrocities in Israeli kibbutzes.
This was enough for AP and CNN to cut ties with the so-called journalist immediately. But Sky News, it seems, didn’t bother checking his background when it recently hired him to work on a story for the network, as reported last week by Ynet News.
Sky News just “discovered” that one of its Gazan freelancers had Hamas ties. Seriously, @SkyNews?
His name is Hassan Eslaiah—the same guy we exposed over a year ago. AP and CNN already fired him last year.
Next time, try vetting your journalists before hiring them. https://t.co/hjuamQUcUE pic.twitter.com/O4hnlyFHYR
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) February 6, 2025
The network’s explanation was meant to absolve responsibility but instead revealed its low journalistic standards: the hiring was done through a third party, an independent production company.
It would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Eslaiah’s social media activity, where he posted a photo of himself with those he had covered — a United Nations team on a mine-clearing mission.
Everyone in the industry recognized him, diplomats complained, the UN was embarrassed, and Sky News had to apologize and shamefully admit that they had no idea who was working for the network in one of the most sensitive locations in the Middle East.
And it’s not like Eslaiah was unemployed until then: Last month his footage of the appalling handover of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud was heavily used by local and international media.
Whose footage did @BBCNews & others use from the heart of the appalling crowd scenes when Hamas released Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud?
Which Gazan photojournalist has that sort of access?
Hint: It’s not the first time he’s cozied up to terrorists to get the shots.
Find out
pic.twitter.com/yYBQ6XPeSn
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) January 30, 2025
Many questions arise: How did this happen? Who are the editors-in-charge in Sky News who thought it possible to delegate stories without knowing to whom? Will they be reprimanded? Will the network pay Eslaiah? Is there any other way to cover stories in Gaza without using compromised journalists?
Admittedly, Sky News said it won’t use Eslaiah’s material. But what’s going to happen in a year or two? When a new boss arrives and demands a good story from Gaza that only “journalists” like Eslaiah can have access to?
Media outlets should have a blacklist of those in the region who cannot be considered professional journalists.
If they really care about the truth, they should think twice before hiring freelancers in Gaza, and Google the name of each individual who promises professional coverage from the terror-ruled enclave.
Chances are they will land on an HonestReporting expose proving why such individuals should not be providing services to any respectable foreign media outlet.
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 UK Outlet Caught Using Compromised Gaza Journalist Who Posed With Sinwar first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi lays a wreath as he visits the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, June 3, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A member of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Tehran alongside a member of an Iran-aligned Iraqi armed group, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters and the Iraqi group said on Saturday.
The source identified the Hezbollah member as Abu Ali Khalil, who had served as a bodyguard for Hezbollah’s slain chief Hassan Nasrallah. The source said Khalil had been on a religious pilgrimage to Iraq when he met up with a member of the Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada group.
They traveled together to Tehran and were both killed in an Israeli strike there, along with Khalil’s son, the senior security source said. Hezbollah has not joined in Iran’s air strikes against Israel from Lebanon.
Kataeb Sayyed Al-Shuhada published a statement confirming that both the head of its security unit and Khalil had been killed in an Israeli strike.
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli aerial attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs in September.
Israel and Iran have been trading strikes for nine consecutive days since Israel launched attacks on Iran, saying Tehran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran has said it does not seek nuclear weapons.
The post Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip
Israeli soldiers operate during a ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, July 3, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), in cooperation with the General Security Service (Shin Bet), announced on Friday the killing of Ibrahim Abu Shamala, a senior financial official in Hamas’ military wing.
The operation took place on June 17th in the central Gaza Strip.
Abu Shamala held several key positions, including financial officer for Hamas’ military wing and assistant to Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamas’ military wing until his elimination in March 2024.
He was responsible for managing all the financial resources of Hamas’ military wing in Gaza, overseeing the planning and execution of the group’s war budget. This involved handling and smuggling millions of dollars into the Gaza Strip to fund Hamas’ military operations.
The post Hamas Financial Officer and Commander Eliminated by IDF in the Gaza Strip first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, May 20, 2025. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him should he be killed, the New York Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed Iranian officials. It is understood the Ayatollah fears he could be assassinated in the coming days.
Khamenei reportedly mostly speaks with his commanders through a trusted aide now, suspending electronic communications.
Khamenei has designated three senior religious figures as candidates to replace him as well as choosing successors in the military chain of command in the likely event that additional senior officials be eliminated.
Earlier on Saturday Israel confirmed the elimination of Saeed Izadi and Bhanam Shahriari.
Shahriari, head of Iran’s Quds Force Weapons Transfer Unit, responsible for arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, was killed in an Israeli airstrike over 1,000 km from Israel in western Iran.
The post Report: Wary of Assassination by Israel, Khamenei Names 3 Potential Successors first appeared on Algemeiner.com.