The personal belongings of festival-goers are seen at the site of an attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Oct. 12, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Media outlets should know by now that when it comes to hiring Gaza freelancers — caution is advised.

As HonestReporting has repeatedly exposed, the vast majority of foreign media journalists in the Gaza Strip are deeply compromised — some receive annual awards from Hamas and others have personal connections to the terrorists.

One of them is Hassan Eslaiah, whose memorable photo with former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar circulated online after we exposed he had infiltrated into Israel on October 7 and documented atrocities in Israeli kibbutzes.

This was enough for AP and CNN to cut ties with the so-called journalist immediately. But Sky News, it seems, didn’t bother checking his background when it recently hired him to work on a story for the network, as reported last week by Ynet News.

🚨 Sky News just “discovered” that one of its Gazan freelancers had Hamas ties. Seriously, @SkyNews?

His name is Hassan Eslaiah—the same guy we exposed over a year ago. AP and CNN already fired him last year.

Next time, try vetting your journalists before hiring them. https://t.co/hjuamQUcUE pic.twitter.com/O4hnlyFHYR

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) February 6, 2025

The network’s explanation was meant to absolve responsibility but instead revealed its low journalistic standards: the hiring was done through a third party, an independent production company.

It would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Eslaiah’s social media activity, where he posted a photo of himself with those he had covered — a United Nations team on a mine-clearing mission.

Everyone in the industry recognized him, diplomats complained, the UN was embarrassed, and Sky News had to apologize and shamefully admit that they had no idea who was working for the network in one of the most sensitive locations in the Middle East.

And it’s not like Eslaiah was unemployed until then: Last month his footage of the appalling handover of Israeli hostage Arbel Yehud was heavily used by local and international media.

Whose footage did @BBCNews & others use from the heart of the appalling crowd scenes when Hamas released Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud?

Which Gazan photojournalist has that sort of access?

Hint: It’s not the first time he’s cozied up to terrorists to get the shots.

Find out 👇 pic.twitter.com/yYBQ6XPeSn

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) January 30, 2025

Many questions arise: How did this happen? Who are the editors-in-charge in Sky News who thought it possible to delegate stories without knowing to whom? Will they be reprimanded? Will the network pay Eslaiah? Is there any other way to cover stories in Gaza without using compromised journalists?

Admittedly, Sky News said it won’t use Eslaiah’s material. But what’s going to happen in a year or two? When a new boss arrives and demands a good story from Gaza that only “journalists” like Eslaiah can have access to?

Media outlets should have a blacklist of those in the region who cannot be considered professional journalists.

If they really care about the truth, they should think twice before hiring freelancers in Gaza, and Google the name of each individual who promises professional coverage from the terror-ruled enclave.

Chances are they will land on an HonestReporting expose proving why such individuals should not be providing services to any respectable foreign media outlet.

The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.