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Assassinated Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Recast as ‘Moderate’ by Confused Media
There was an unfortunate inevitability to the media’s coverage of the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at a residence in Tehran early Wednesday morning.
Reportedly killed in an airstrike, Haniyeh was one of Israel’s most prominent targets following the October 7 attacks, and was in the Iranian capital for the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
In addition to a flurry of analyses suggesting that Israel could be responsible for triggering a regional war, international media also published various “explainers” on Haniyeh, portraying the Hamas political bureau head as a moderating force within the Islamist terrorist group.
HonestReporting called out Reuters on social media over a headline, which was later amended, that absurdly described the Hamas terrorist as “tough-talking,” and who was “seen as the more moderate face of Hamas.”
Watch Haniyeh celebrate the murders of 1200 Israelis on October 7 after murdering countless himself and then ask yourself why you trust anything written by @Reuters that calls him a moderate.https://t.co/drHaijJB4Y pic.twitter.com/cTpOqYrcfY
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) July 31, 2024
Although the mastermind behind October 7 is Hamas’ Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar, reputable wire agencies like Reuters should not need reminding that there was nothing moderate about Haniyeh’s celebration of the massacre of Israeli civilians, and his promise to repeat such atrocities.
The Guardian used similar language, going so far as to suggest some kind of diplomatic prowess on Haniyeh’s part by describing him as a “moderate figure within the [Hamas] movement, one whose role had become vital in sustained diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.”
Apparently for the @guardian, a mass murderer is a moderate, as long as the majority of his victims were Jews. pic.twitter.com/ouPXNVb1aK
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) July 31, 2024
The BBC’s Middle East correspondent, Yolande Knell, was widely criticized for a piece that praised the “pragmatic” ways of Haniyeh, claiming he was less hardline than other Hamas leaders despite his “tough rhetoric.”
Media Portrayal of War-Provoking Israel
The assassination of Haniyeh, which came just hours after the IDF confirmed it had eliminated Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, who was responsible for the Majdal Shams rocket attack, will undoubtedly provoke a response from Iran, which described it as a “dangerous escalation.”
This skewed narrative is being parroted by the international media, which has placed disproportionate blame on Israel for escalating tensions in the region, including The New York Times accusing Jerusalem of an “audacious escalation.”
According @nytimes, targeting 2 arch terrorists is an “audacious escalation.” Didn’t the region already escalate audaciously on October 7 and on Saturday, when Hezbollah fired 100 rockets and murdered 12 kids? pic.twitter.com/S2bfAQ737Y
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) July 31, 2024
But the fact is, Israel is not bringing the Middle East to the “brink of all-out war,” as CNN claimed, nor is it provoking “Armageddon,” as suggested in an op-ed in the UK’s Independent.
These depictions of Israel as a destabilizing force in the region overlook crucial context. The killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr came after the group murdered a dozen children in a rocket attack on Israel. These acts of terroristic violence, like the October 7 atrocities, sparked the current conflict.
Ismail Haniyeh’s death may well trigger a wider regional conflagration. If it does, it does not change the fact that he was a genocidal monster, and the world is a better place without him in it.
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 Assassinated Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Recast as ‘Moderate’ by Confused Media first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Some Tankers Cross Strait of Hormuz Before Shots Fired, Ship-Tracking Data Shows
A satellite image shows the ship movement at the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, 2026, in Space. EUROPEAN UNION/COPERNICUS SENTINEL-2/Handout via REUTERS
More than a dozen tankers, including three sanctioned vessels, passed through the Strait of Hormuz after a 50-day blockade was lifted on Friday, shipping data showed, before Iran reimposed restrictions on Saturday and fired at some vessels.
Reopening the strait is key for Gulf producers to resume full oil and gas supplies to the world, and end what the International Energy Agency has called the worst-ever supply disruption.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday Iran had agreed to open the strait, while Iranian officials said they wanted the US to fully lift its blockade of Iranian tankers.
Western shipping companies cautiously welcomed the announcements but said more clarity was needed, including on the presence of sea mines, before their vessels could transit.
IRAN RESUMES RESTRICTIONS
The ships that passed through the strait on Friday and Saturday via Iranian waters south of Larak island were mainly older, non-Western-owned vessels and included four sanctioned ships, according to ship-tracking data.
Iran arranged passage for a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships following prior agreements in negotiations, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said.
Other ships have been seen approaching the strait and turning back as Iran said it would maintain strict controls as long as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports.
The UK Navy reported on Saturday that Iranian gunboats fired at some ships attempting to cross the strait.
Some merchant vessels received radio messages from Iran’s navy saying the strait was shut again and that no ships were allowed to pass, shipping sources said on Saturday.
Ship-tracking data showed five vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas from Ras Laffan in Qatar approaching the strait on Saturday morning.
No LNG cargoes have transited the waterway since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
Hundreds of ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the conflict started and Tehran closed the strait, forcing Gulf oil and gas producers to sharply cut production.
Top producers such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait say they need steady tanker flows and unrestricted passage through the strait to resume normal export operations.
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Trump Greenlights Russian Oil to Ease Strain on Global Markets After War with Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, DC, US, March 27, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
i24 News – The Trump administration has authorized a 30-day emergency waiver allowing the maritime purchase of Russian oil, reversing a hardline stance in an effort to stabilize skyrocketing global energy prices.
The Treasury Department announced Friday that the license for crude and petroleum products will remain in effect until May 16, 2026, responding to intense pressure from international partners struggling with the fallout of the war with Iran.
This policy pivot comes as a surprise after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested earlier this week that no further exemptions would be granted:
“As negotiations with Iran accelerate, the administration seeks to ensure oil availability for those who need it most. We must prevent a total price collapse for consumers while the geopolitical situation remains volatile.”
Ensuring global oil availability is paramount for the US as over 80 energy facilities in the Middle East have been damaged by recent war with Iran. With the November midterm elections approaching, record-high fuel prices at the pump remain a primary vulnerability for the Republican party. By allowing Russian oil back into the maritime flow, the administration hopes to neutralize “pain at the pump” before voters head to the polls.
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UK: Islamist Group Claims to Attack Israeli Embassy with ‘Drones Carrying Radioactive, Carcinogenic Materials’
A UK man has been arrested for allegedly threatening a group of Jews while wielding an ax on Rosh Hashanah. Photo: Tony Webster / Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – British police officers in protective clothing were seen investigating a “security incident” near the Israeli embassy in London on Friday, after a jihadist group put out a video showing it launching two drones allegedly carrying radioactive and carcinogenic materials toward the embassy.
“There is an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens and officers are assessing a number of discarded items. As a precaution, some of the officers who have been deployed are wearing protective clothing. We recognize this may concern local residents and the wider public,” police said in a statement.
“Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the nearby embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances,” the statement further read. “While we can confirm that the embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent inquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens.”
The incident comes amid a steep hike in antisemitic attacks in Britain targeting Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions.
The group that released the video was identified as Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, a shadowy entity with suspected ties to Iran. It has already claimed seven attacks against Jewish institutions, including an arson attack in London where four ambulances owned by the Hatzolah charity were torched.