CNN stated on Wednesday that they will no longer employ the 'Gaza freelancer' after Honest Reporting revealed his true connections to Hamas.
During the Israel-Hamas conflict, CNN has highlighted news stories from Sabbah, a former Associated Press worker, but his ties to the terror group raise concerns about the network's vetting and journalism norms.
A Gaza-based freelance journalist working with CNN has been found to have ties to Hamas, according to a report by media based watchdog Honest Reporting. Abdel Qader Sabbah's social media profile revealed numerous connections with Hamas, including selfies with senior Hamas officials and sharing of Hamas propaganda. The report alleges that Sabbah not only praised terrorists but also performed undisclosed tasks for the organization all under the nose of CNN.
The report criticizes CNN for featuring Sabbah's work, noting that he has also worked for the Associated Press. This raises concerns about CNN's journalistic standards and the vetting of reporters, as well as the content published by the outlet. Evidence from Sabbah's personal Facebook page, where he identifies himself as a freelance journalist, director, and photographer, supports these claims.
Posts on Sabbah's Facebook page include interactions with senior Hamas leaders like Mahmoud A-Zahar, who in a 2018 post advocated for "world domination with no Zionists." Sabbah also praised individuals involved in deadly terror attacks, such as Izz A-Din Al-Masri, responsible for a suicide bombing at a Jerusalem restaurant in 2001 that killed 16 people, including children.
Additionally, Sabbah regularly shared Hamas armed wing propaganda videos and expressed anti-Israel sentiments on social media. The report highlights Sabbah's consistent affiliation with members of the terror organization and his promotion of content that propagates hatred towards Israel and Jews.
According to the honest reporting article, CNN has been warned multiple times in who they choose to work for them, particularly cases of individuals with "deep and troubling ties to Hamas" yet they ignored this notion and have continued appointing terror supporters like Sabbah to represent their news agency and spread bias Anti-Israel, Hamas propaganda.
This marks one case of many whereby news agencies and international media remain lax in regards to employing Gazan individuals without necessary background checks to ensure their employee is meeting their standards. Such actions by major reporting companies must be made accountable and are unacceptable.