Reuters and AP news agencies deny report suggesting they had prior knowledge of October 7 attack

International news organisations Reuters and Associated Press have denied any suggestion they had prior knowledge of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians and soldiers, in a statement responding to a report by media group HonestReporting.

In a statement released over the wires, Reuters said:

We are aware of a report by HonestReporting and accusations made against two freelance photographers who contributed to Reuters coverage of the Oct. 7 attack. Reuters categorically denies that it had prior knowledge of the attack or that we embedded journalists with Hamas on Oct 7. Reuters acquired photographs from two Gaza-based freelance photographers who were at the border on the morning of Oct. 7, with whom it did not have a prior relationship. The photographs published by Reuters were taken two hours after Hamas fired rockets across southern Israel and more than 45 minutes after Israel said gunmen had crossed the border. Reuters staff journalists were not on the ground at the locations referred to in the HonestReporting article.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for AP said:

The Associated Press had no knowledge of the October 7 attacks before they happened.

HonestReporting’s article was titled: ‘AP (Associated Press) & Reuters Pictures of Hamas Atrocities Raise Ethical Questions.’

The article suggested photojournalists hired by the news agencies could have had advanced knowledge of the 7 October incursion by Israel.

The organisation says it ‘monitors the media for bias against Israel’ and has been described in the past by other news organisations as a ‘pro-Israel media watchdog group’.