A legal action has been initiated in the Southern District of Florida, which has been filed against the Associated Press. The lawsuit accuses the agency of indirectly funding a terrorist organization. This alleged funding is said to have taken place through payments made to four freelance photographers. These individuals were purportedly hired to accompany Hamas militants during their attacks on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023.
According to reports by the Fox News website, the plaintiffs in this case are seeking compensation. Their claim is based on provisions made under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The plaintiffs are said to be comprised of US citizens and Israelis who survived the horrifying onslaught at the Nova music festival. Their interests are defended in court by the National Jewish Human Rights Center, a non-profit organization.
The lawsuit alleges that the Associated Press was complicit in the October 7 massacre. The claim argues that the AP photographers were instrumental participants in the gruesome event. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that the agency was aware, or at least could have been aware, that the individuals they were paying were longstanding supporters of Hamas and were actively participating in the massacre they were documenting.
Among the four photographers who have been named in the lawsuit is Hasan Eslaya. Eslaya is a freelance photojournalist who has worked for several prominent media outlets including CNN and the New York Times. A photograph of Eslaya with Hamas leader Yahya Sinouar surfaced on the Internet in 2020, leading many media outlets, including the Associated Press, to cease their working relationship with him. However, the lawsuit alleges that the agency continued to purchase work from him despite this.
In response to the lawsuit, the Associated Press issued a statement expressing deep sympathy for the victims of the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. However, the agency maintains that the lawsuit is without merit. The statement further indicates that the AP had no prior knowledge of the impending terrorist attacks on October 7. It also states that no evidence has been presented, including within the lawsuit itself, suggesting that the freelance journalists covering the event had any such knowledge. The statement concludes by stating that such accusations are not only reckless but also pose a potential threat to journalism in the region.
