While their identity remains unclear, their presence amid a blood-thirsty mob of terrorists proves a disturbing truth: Gaza-based journalists covering Hamas atrocities that day did not bravely risk their lives, as declared by institutions that recently granted them awards, but operated easily without any objections from the perpetrators.

In the video, a professional camera hovering over a Palestinian mob can be seen as its operator nonchalantly tries to focus on the terrified Bibas, who is tightly held on a motorbike in the middle of the chaotic scene.

34-year-old Bibas — whose wife Shiri and two young sons Ariel and Kfir have been abducted in a separate incident — is seen surrounded by armed men, bloodied, beaten, abused, and yelled at.

But the cameraman, as well as whoever films the video footage and others who hold up their phones, care only about capturing Bibas’s suffering, most likely in order to sell the footage to local and international news outlets.

That they could operate freely amidst the barbarity suggests that they were there with, at the very least, tacit approval from the mob. In fact, including journalists as part of the invading force was always part of Hamas’ plan.

Gaza-based journalists were there not just to document, but to exploit.

HonestReporting exposed this connection in November 2023, revealing that Gaza-based photojournalists had infiltrated into Israel with Hamas on October 7.

Subsequently, CNN and AP cut ties with one of them — Hassan Eslaiah — who had been photographed with none other than Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

But in general, media outlets failed to acknowledge these ethical violations. Not only do they still offer for sale pictures showing the lynching of an Israeli soldier or the abductions of civilians into Gaza. They showcase them in their selective war footage galleries, and win prestigious awards with them.

This is not journalism.