Light, camera, action! How scenes in Gaza are staged to demonize Israel

A report published by the German media Bild raises serious doubts about the authenticity of certain images coming from Gaza, suggesting that photographer Anas Zayed Fteiha, who works with the Turkish news agency Anadolu, may be staging scenes of Palestinian suffering to serve Hamas propaganda.

According to investigations by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, many of these images—depicting malnourished children, desperate mothers, and people begging for food—may have been carefully selected or even staged to influence global public opinion and international politics.

Media spreads Fteiha's manipulations

The report highlights a widely circulated photograph showing desperate people in front of a food distribution truck, waving empty pots. In this scene, Fteiha, described as a freelance “journalist,” captures images that are later distributed by major international outlets such as Stern, New York Magazine, CNN, BBC, Deutschlandfunk, Junge Welt, and even Bild itself. However, the article notes that these images tend to focus almost exclusively on women and children in the foreground, with suffering depicted in near-perfect lighting conditions, while other photos of the same scene—taken by different photographers—show mostly adult men receiving food. This raises questions about whether Fteiha intentionally selects images designed to amplify the sense of chaos and destruction, generating a stronger emotional impact.

While the suffering of civilians in Gaza is undeniable amid the conflict between Hamas and Israel following the October 7 massacre, the report suggests that Fteiha may be working with a clear agenda. On his Instagram account, the photographer has shared content with messages such as “Free Palestine” and “F***Israel,” and he has been linked to europe.palestine.network, a pro-Palestinian collective that promotes “resistance” against Israel. The report also notes that Fteiha works for the Anadolu agency, which is directly tied to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a longtime supporter of Hamas and an outspoken critic of Israel.

The article raises a critical question: Why are German and international media outlets using images from a photographer with such clear ideological biases? According to Bild, agencies like Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) insist they do not collaborate with Fteiha and carefully vet the reputation of photographers before publishing their work. Reuters, for its part, stated that its images meet strict standards of accuracy, independence, and impartiality. However, the report quotes historian and photography expert Gerhard Paul, who asserts that in southern Gaza, Hamas maintains full control over image production, with the goal of generating sympathy in the West and fueling outrage against Israel. “No camera operates in the area without the control of the terrorist group,” Paul warns.

A historical case

The report also recalls a landmark case of image manipulation: In 2002, then–Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was photographed in a supposed fortress in Ramallah, lit only by candles and lanterns, projecting an image of isolation and despair. However, this scene turned out to be staged, as reporters intentionally turned off their camera lights to create the dramatic effect—only to later reveal Arafat under normal lighting conditions.

Hamas exploits Palestinian suffering

In Gaza, the absence of independent reporters—due to Israeli restrictions—has left the field largely open to local photographers, many of whom may have ties to Hamas. This control over imagery allows the terrorist group to exploit Palestinian suffering for its own propaganda purposes.