Gaza photographer admits hiding footage of hostage beating to shield attackers

Motaz Azaiza, a Gaza photographer once Nobel-nominated and Time100 honoree, says on the Taqarrab podcast that he filmed a mob beating Israeli hostages on Oct. 7, 2023 but chose not to publish the footage to protect those involved from Israeli retaliation; he also claimed that Gaza media coverage is funneled through a Hamas-controlled WhatsApp channel and that reporters who criticize Hamas are persecuted. Azaiza, who now lives in Qatar, has been named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in 2024.