Full Breakdown
Gaza Photographer’s Admission Highlights Hamas-Run Media Network
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Azaiza’s Public Admission
In an extensive Arabic-language interview on the “Taqarrab” podcast, Gaza photographer Motaz Hilal Azaiza disclosed that all journalists in the enclave operate within a Hamas-run WhatsApp group that dictates coverage. He confirmed that he filmed Israeli hostages being beaten on October 7, 2023, but deliberately withheld the footage to protect the Palestinians he said were involved, fearing Israeli retaliation. Azaiza said he later fled Gaza after Hamas threatened him for criticizing the group.
Background & Context
Azaiza, a native of Deir al-Balah, rose to international prominence after being named to the Time 100 list in 2024 and receiving a nomination for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. Prior to the war, he worked as a content producer for Western outlets and was frequently presented as “the man on the ground” for major news organizations. In September 2026, Al Jazeera reported the dismissal of 24 journalists and staff members from its Gaza bureau amid a U.S. lawsuit alleging the network’s support for Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Data & Statistics: Study of Gaza Coverage
A peer-reviewed analysis by the research collective @Fifty_Global examined 1,378 articles containing the term “Gaza” from outlets including CNN, BBC, The New York Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, Reuters and AP. The study found:
- Hamas Health Ministry casualty figures appeared in 100 percent of the outlets’ reporting, while Israeli casualty estimates appeared in only 3 percent.
- Israeli estimates of Hamas fighters killed were cited in roughly 1 percent of articles by CNN and The Guardian, and in 7–8 percent by AP and ABC.
- Only about 15 percent of articles noted that the Gaza Health Ministry’s death toll does not distinguish civilians from combatants; AP and Washington Post did so in 40–43 percent of relevant pieces.
- The BBC questioned Israeli figures in 43 percent of cases but never questioned Hamas figures; the Washington Post questioned Israeli figures in 71 percent of cases and Hamas figures in 1 percent.
These findings underscore a pronounced asymmetry in source attribution across major Western news outlets.
Verbatim Quotes
- “People got out, watched, beat them, hit them, and I followed them and filmed,” — Motaz Hilal Azaiza
- “Hi, yes, it’s M, for my friend, Motaz. Yay! Bye!” — Rachel Griffin Accurso
- “I saw the vehicle of the Al-Qassam Brigades, and there were Israeli captives there,” — Motaz Hilal Azaiza
- “I support armed resistance, but one that brings results, or at least gives me the feeling that my life is valuable in the eyes of the resistance,” — Motaz Hilal Azaiza
- “They probably would say something if these kids were White and from a different place,” — Rachel Griffin Accurso
- “Please stop being racist and risk something.” — Elizabeth Barcohana, the California Republican Party’s Jewish engagement chair
These statements provide direct insight into Azaiza’s actions, the reactions of public figures, and the broader discourse surrounding media control in Gaza.