CNN has ‘suspended all ties’ with photojournalist who took a selfie with Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip

Following photos published by The AP, CNN and Reuters that portrayed the first Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, the website Honest Reporting raised doubts about journalistic ethics regarding the images collected. Less than 24 hours later, the three media outlets claimed to have no prior knowledge of the atracks and distanced themselves from the named photographers. Even CNN confessed to having "suspended all ties" with Hassan Eslaiah, who had taken a selfie with Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"What were they doing there so early on what would ordinarily have been a quiet Saturday morning? Was it coordinated with Hamas? Did the respectable wire services, which published their photos, approve of their presence inside enemy territory, together with the terrorist infiltrators?" Honest Reporting questioned.

As a result of these questions regarding journalistic ethics, The Daily Wire contacted the aforementioned outlets to ask for explanations.

Train Kumar, CNN's press chief, regretted the situation and commented on the media's decision to cut ties with the reporter. "We are aware of the article and photo concerning Hassan Eslaiah, a freelance photojournalist who has worked with a number of international and Israeli outlets," he said.

"While we have not at this time found reason to doubt the journalistic accuracy of the work he has done for us, we have decided to suspend all ties with him," he told the outlet founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing.

As for the Associated Press, which also published the photos taken by Eslaiah, they clarified that they use images of freelancers from around the world, including in Gaza. "The Associated Press had no knowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks before they happened. The role of the AP is to gather information on breaking news events around the world, wherever they happen, even when those events are horrific and cause mass casualties. AP uses images taken by freelancers around the world, including in Gaza," AP spokesperson Nicole Meir told The Daily Wire.

The latest case was that of Reuters, which had also published images of the Oct. 7 attacks. Like the AP, it "categorically" denied that they had any prior knowledge of the attacks.

"Reuters acquired photographs from two Gaza-based freelance photographers who were at the border on the morning of October 7, with whom it did not have a prior relationshiP. The photographs published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets across southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border. Reuters staff journalists were not on the ground at the locations referred to in the HonestReporting article," a spokesperson told the Daily Wire.