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Looks like the original claim has been retracted, so in the absence of anything still pointing towards YES, resolving NO.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-photographers-attack-200be1ba47361f1c1fc113cdaeb65d04

Denied by Reuters AP CNN and NYT

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/9/news-organisations-reject-allegations-of-complicity-in-october-7-attack

“Four international media outlets have denied accusations they had prior knowledge of the October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel after an article by a pro-Israel media watchdog group HonestReporting questioned their work with Gaza-based freelance photojournalists.”

Potentially related: https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/26/middleeast/unrwa-fires-staff-members-october-7-attacks-intl/index.html

I’m not seeing foreknowledge from any mainstream reporters. Some guys with cameras who were there day-of, sure, but this looks like a No. @IsaacKing

@Panfilo Do we know who the guys with cameras were?

@IsaacKing Mostly not, but given how many cameras are in the world as of 2023, it doesn't really raise the likelihood that they were mainstream media reporters by a significant amount.

In my experience, within a population of 2 million, there should be several hundred 'freelance journalists,' contributors, etc., who collaborate more or less frequently with various large or small media outlets. It would be stupid for Hamas not to court some of them.

@SorinTanaseNicola Totally agree, but the market asks for “a mainstream media reporter” and a guy with a camera does not fit that description in my opinion.

@JaimeSantaCruz Agreed, but what defines a mainstream media reporter? I suggest considering someone who has contributed a photo, video, or text report to a major (western) news outlet, been paid for it, and has done so within the past five years as qualifying. In this case, the number is still quite large, and the Israeli accusation is believable even if the proof is lacking.

@SorinTanaseNicola Anyone who was employed by a mainstream media outlet at the time of the attack counts. Anyone who had done significant reporting for them in the past, was still on good terms with them, and could plausibly have been taking pictures with the intention to sell them to that outlet will also count.