AP sued by victims of Hamas attacks in Israel
OAN’s Sophia Flores
1:15 PM – Friday, February 23, 2024
American and Israeli citizens who were attacked and victimized by the terrorist group Hamas in the October 7th attack on Israel have filed a lawsuit against the Associated Press (AP), citing its involvement in the tragedy.
On Wednesday evening, Americans and Israeli-Americans filed a complaint to the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit cites damage under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
In their complaint, they claim that AP knowingly employed four Hamas affiliated photojournalists who supported and assisted the terrorist group during the gruesome attacks. In turn, the plaintiffs believe that this means that AP was indirectly funding and supporting the terrorist group.
It was also reported that AP photojournalists were allegedly biased and would take an excessive number of pictures of injured Palestinians while avoiding capturing pictures of Israeli victims, or at least the bare minimum.
“There is no doubt that AP’s photographers participated in the October 7th massacre, and that AP knew, or at the very least should have known, through simple due diligence, that the people they were paying were longstanding Hamas affiliates and full participants in the terrorist attack that they were also documenting,” the complaint filed by the survivors, represented by the nonprofit National Jewish Advocacy Center, read.
The lawsuit cited a freelance journalist named Hassan Eslaiah in the complaint. Eslaiah entered the crime scene on the back of a motorcycle with Hamas members on October 7th. He captured images of rooms filled with blood and bodies. Additionally, he took many pictures of different items on fire.
The journalist claims that he had no prior knowledge of the attack. However, on his Telegram channel the day of the attack on 5:59 a.m., a full half hour before the attack began, he made a post indicating he knew about something big that was about to happen.
“We wake up to the great gifts of God. The spirit has returned, and our blessings have increased,” Eslaiah wrote, indicating his allegiance to Allah as a Muslim.
AP had worked with Eslaiah prior to the attack. However, he was fired in 2020 by the outlet after an online picture of him with Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar had resurfaced online. Plaintiffs claim that AP continued to pay him despite knowing about his ties with the group.
“AP willfully chose to turn a blind eye to these facts, and instead profited from its terrorist photographer’s participation in the massacre through its publication of the ‘exclusive’ images, for which it certainly paid a premium, effectively funding a terrorist organization,” the complaint continued.
Meanwhile, The Associated Press has denied all wrongdoing and stated that the lawsuit filed against them is “baseless.”
“AP had no advance knowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks, nor have we seen any evidence – including in the lawsuit – that the freelance journalists who contributed to our coverage did. Allegations like this are reckless and create even more potential danger for journalists in the region,” the statement read.
“Documenting breaking news events around the world – no matter how horrific – is our job. Without AP and other news organizations, the world would not have known what was happening on Oct. 7,” it continued.
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What are the allegations made against the Associated Press in the lawsuit filed by Americans and Israeli-Americans?
Americans and Israeli-Americans have filed a lawsuit against the Associated Press (AP) for its alleged involvement in the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7th in Israel. The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of Florida under the Anti-Terrorism Act, claiming that AP knowingly employed four Hamas-affiliated photojournalists who supported and assisted the terrorist group during the attacks.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs argue that AP’s employment of these photojournalists indirectly funded and supported Hamas. It is also alleged that the AP photographers were biased, taking an excessive number of pictures of injured Palestinians while neglecting to capture images of Israeli victims.
The lawsuit specifically mentions a freelance journalist named Hassan Eslaiah, who entered the crime scene on the back of a motorcycle with Hamas members on October 7th. He captured images of bloodshed, bodies, and various items on fire. It is worth noting that Eslaiah had previously been fired by AP in 2020 after a photo of him with Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar surfaced online. Despite this, AP continued to pay him, according to the plaintiffs.
The complaint argues that AP willingly turned a blind eye to these facts and profited from Eslaiah’s participation in the attack by publishing his “exclusive” images. The plaintiffs assert that by doing so, AP effectively funded a terrorist organization.
In response to the lawsuit, the Associated Press has denied any wrongdoing, stating that they had no advance knowledge of the October 7th attacks. They further claim that there is no evidence, including in the lawsuit, to support the allegations made against their freelance journalists. The AP warns that such baseless accusations could jeopardize the safety of journalists in the region.
The outcome of this lawsuit will shed light on the responsibilities and accountability of media organizations in covering conflicts and their potential impact on the lives of those affected by acts of terrorism. It will be interesting to see how the court analyzes the evidence presented and makes a determination regarding AP’s alleged involvement in supporting Hamas through its employment and collaboration with affiliated photojournalists. The lawsuit serves as a reminder of the ethical and legal challenges faced by reporters and news outlets in covering conflicts and their duty to provide unbiased and comprehensive coverage.
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