Story perspectives

Motaz Azaiza Admits Withholding Oct. 7 Hostage-Beating Footage

By Drooid · Sep 21, 2026, 11:25 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Motaz Azaiza Withholds Footage

Motaz Azaiza said he withheld footage of Israeli hostages being beaten on Oct. 7, 2023.
He explained the footage could help Israeli forces identify and kill the Palestinians shown.
Azaiza warned Hamas runs a Gaza journalists' WhatsApp group and threatens critics.
After Hamas pressure he left Gaza and now lives in Qatar, condemning the group's brutality.

Summary

Macklemore Donates $1M

Ed Sheeran apologized at his Philadelphia concert for mishandling Macklemore’s removal.
He said venues, including Robert Kraft’s Lincoln Financial Field, pressured him to drop the rapper over pro-Palestine remarks.
Protesters gathered outside the stadium demanding Sheeran keep Macklemore on the bill.
Supporting acts Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, Finneas and Beoga withdrew after Macklemore’s removal.
Macklemore announced he will donate $1 million to Palestinian relief organisations.

History

Historical Context

During the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the newly established Islamic Republic seized control of Tehran’s media, imprisoning journalists and silencing dissent. The regime detained over 300 reporters, and the state-run IRIB broadcasted a single propaganda bulletin each day, reaching 12 million viewers. Similarly, today Motaz Azaiza hides footage of Israeli-Palestinian violence while Ed Sheeran faces pressure from Robert Kraft’s Lincoln Financial Field to drop Macklemore’s pro-Palestine remarks. These patterns reveal how state or corporate censorship can amplify conflict narratives, prompting international NGOs and artists to allocate $1 million relief funds and demand media transparency.

1 of 3

Motaz Azaiza Withholds Footage

Motaz Azaiza said he withheld footage of Israeli hostages being beaten on Oct. 7, 2023.
He explained the footage could help Israeli forces identify and kill the Palestinians shown.
Azaiza warned Hamas runs a Gaza journalists' WhatsApp group and threatens critics.
After Hamas pressure he left Gaza and now lives in Qatar, condemning the group's brutality.

1 / 3