"Protect Journalists In Gaza" Coordinated Media Campaign Exposed
Over 150 Media Outlets, 50 Countries, One Scripted Narrative
On September 1, Avaaz and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are launching what they proudly call a “Coordinated Newsroom Action” and a “major operation” — but what it really amounts to is a coordinated global PR attack on Israel, disguised as journalism and concern for “freedom of the press.”
A leaked document reveals that Reporters without Borders (RSF) and Avaaz have secured the participation of around 150 media outlets from some 50 countries, alongside journalists and press freedom organisations, instructing them to publish the same message, on the same day, in multiple languages.
Their unified script?
“At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed.”
Front pages will go black. Banners will drop across websites. Broadcasters will air prepared statements. Social media will flood with hashtags like #ProtectJournalistsInGaza and #LetReportersIntoGaza.
This is not independent journalism. This is cognitive warfare.
This is not a spontaneous campaign. It is a centrally orchestrated media operation, designed to dominate global news cycles with a single narrative: that “Israel is systematically targeting journalists in Gaza and blocking international press freedom”
The organizations behind this campaign distributed detailed instructions to participating outlets:
Print publications: black out entire front pages or banners with the unified message
Broadcast outlets: display this message on-screen or read it aloud with a metronome background, emphasizing Israel as the sole perpetrator.
Online media: hashtags, banners, newsletters, and social media posts will be coordinated to run from midnight to midnight across all time zones.
Even graphics assets for multiple platforms were prepared and provided in English, Arabic, Hebrew, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese, ensuring a uniform message worldwide. In short, this is a centrally directed, synchronized media assault on Israel, involving the world’s most influential news organizations.
The choice of September 1st is either a sick coincidence or no accident at all: September 1st marks the 86th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland. The symbolism is chilling — it almost seems like a deliberate attempt to continue drawing a false parallel and reality inversion between the Jewish state today and Nazi aggression in WWII.
This isn’t fringe activism, it’s mainstream newsrooms, wire services, and powerful institutions lining up to coordinate messaging. While hundreds of outlets signed on, the most prominent participants demonstrate the scale and influence of this campaign.
Everyone involved in this coordinated campaign — journalists, media organizations, investigative outlets, and press advocacy groups — has the resources and capacity to independently verify who is on the list they are amplifying. Yet they fail spectacularly at this basic journalistic responsibility.
Lest take Abdallah Darwish, someone who was documented taking part of the October 7th Massacre. His presence among the terrorists who stormed into Israel, committing one of the worst atrocities in modern memory, is not speculation—it is documented. Unlike others who infiltrated to document the massacre, he was taking part of the attack itself.
.Even more brazen is that the current list, the so-called “Palestinian journalist” from Palestine Chronicle Abdallah Aljamal, who was revealed almost exactly one year ago to be a full Hamas member—and not just a member, but a man who kept three Israeli hostages locked in his home for months before he was killed in a daring rescue operation by the IDF
.Harrowing footage distributed by Israeli media on Wednesday, April 17, showed Palestinian cameramen filming the violent abduction of Yarden Bibas into Gaza on October 7. While another journalist, Muthanna Al-Najjar, took part in the abduction Yarden’s wife Shiri, and his two baby boys Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Yarden was released after 484 days in captivity, while his wife and children were brutally murdered in Gaza.
72-year-old Adina Mosh was taken captive from Kibbutz Nir Oz. She was freed in late November as part of a deal that saw roughly 100 hostages, mostly women and children, released in exchange for a temporary ceasefire and the release of terrorists in jail. Her kidnapping, just like Yarden’s, included cameramen embedded with the terrorists taking her hostage
.One of the most obscene examples of complete journalistic malpractice by every media organization parroting headlines about “murdered journalists,” is the resurrected “journalists” is Mustafa Ayyad, who remains on Al Jazeera’s and CPJ’s list. Reported as “killed” by a strike on his home, his “murder” was widely condemned by the media and the UN. Yet, just months later, he was arrested alive in Austria—exposing the falsehood behind the narrative.
Mustafa Ayyash, was allegedly founder and director of the Gaza-based media outlet Gaza Now, is a striking example of the phenomenon of “resurrected journalists.”
Initially reported killed in an Israeli airstrike on his family home in Gaza in November 2023—an incident that led to widespread international condemnation—Ayyash was later found to be alive and active.
In March 2024, the U.S. and U.K. imposed sanctions on him and his media organization, accusing them of supporting Hamas through fundraising efforts and media promotion.
The following month, Austrian authorities arrested Ayyash in Vienna, seizing his electronic devices and shutting down his media platforms, including a Telegram channel with over 1.8 million followers, they have a new Telegram channel with over 200,000 subscribers.
Interestingly, they “memorialize a one year anniversary of their “dead”/arrested founder. They continue to have X accounts. In their Arabic one, they celebrated the terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. Maybe it’s time for Elon Musk to shut the accounts down? They are a sanctioned organization by the United States.
From the entire list of "dead" journalists, Mustafa Ayyash case reveals something scary: How many are not actually dead and instead escaped to places in the West? Mustafa Ayyash was arrested, but how many were not? Can we guarantee all are dead? Of course not, and we have one clear case to prove it.
By including terrorists who participated in cross-border attacks, held hostages captive in their homes, invaded Israeli territory or are alive, these organizations are equating people who commit acts of war and terrorism with legitimate reporters. Is a journalist supposed to command armed groups, invade countries, keep hostages, or participate in human slaughter? According to the narrative they push, as long as someone wears a press jacket, the rest doesn’t matter — a grotesque distortion of the very concept of journalism.
The involvement of Reuters, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and the Associated Press (AP) in the coordinated campaign is particularly alarming due to their exponential reach. These syndicators don’t just report news—they set the news cycles for thousands of outlets worldwide. Reuters, under Alessandra Galloni, delivers content to over 1,000 media clients and reaches more than a billion people daily. AFP, led by Phil Chetwynd, maintains an editorial presence in 260 cities across 150 countries, while the AP, with Julie Pace as Executive Editor, operates in 230 locations and serves audiences in nearly 150 countries. The combined effect is that a coordinated narrative can cascade across millions of channels almost instantly, reaching billions of people—roughly 70–80% of the global population, shaping perceptions and influencing public opinion on a global scale, far beyond what any single media organization could achieve alone.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), led by CEO Jodie Ginsberg, is part of the coordinated campaign, despite investigations last year showing how over 50% of journalists recorded in their list at the time were affiliated with Hamas or other terrorist organizations. Without even conducting a new full deep-dive into the newly released list, what’s immediately clear is that approximately 13% of those named worked for Al-Aqsa TV and Radio, the official media arm of Hamas. These are not fringe associations—Al-Aqsa operates as Hamas’ direct propaganda outlet, sanctioned by multiple governments and unmistakably tied to terror operations. By keeping these terrorists in their records, endorsing the letter and participating in the campaign, CPJ makes a mockery of journalists themselves, portraying terrorists as innocent reporters.
The complete hypocrisy of the campaign is further underscored by the glaring omissions. Journalists actually killed by Hamas, or those genuinely independent and targeted for reporting the truth, are entirely ignored. If these organizations were truly concerned with press freedom, they would be advocating for these brave individuals. Instead, they push a political narrative, misrepresenting terrorists as journalists while ignoring those who report independently, exposing the campaign for what it truly is: a coordinated operation of cognitive warfare. All while BBC Global News Director Jonathan Munro wants the public to believe that local journalists in Gaza—working under the thumb of Hamās—are completely free from political influence.
Even prominent media figures who frequently accuse Israel of targeting journalists are not immune to this hypocrisy. Piers Morgan, despite his repeated claims that Israel threatens press safety, has been silent about journalists killed by Hamas. Moreover, he reportedly blocked Omar Abd Rabou, a journalist critical of Hamas, after Abd Rabou appealed to him for help in getting his message out. While Morgan is not listed among the official campaign participants, he will most likely amplify the narrative while suppressing voices exposing the truth.
The coordinated campaign demands that Israel be condemned for allegedly failing to “protect journalists,” implying that it is a rogue state flouting international law. Yet the law itself tells a different story. Under Additional Protocol I, Article 79 of the Geneva Conventions, journalists are protected as civilians—unless and for such time as they directly participate in hostilities. That loss of protection applies to anyone who invaded Israel, keeps or took hostages, serves as a lookout, carries weapons, or assists the enemy in any way.
For those who are true journalists, the protections of international humanitarian law are not a shield of absolute immunity. The rules of distinction, proportionality, and feasible precautions apply to them as to all civilians—but a “PRESS” vest does not grant them special immunity or protections if they are in the vicinity of a legitimate target. In such cases, they face the same tragic risks as any other civilian caught in war, and their protection under the Geneva Conventions is not greater than that of ordinary civilians
.Even the claim of a total ban on international media to Gaza is pure propaganda. They are demanding something unprecedented in any war, they demand for international journalists to get unrestricted access to Gaza. These are experienced heads of leading world media organizations, journalists and media professionals — they are not outsiders unaware of how war reporting works. They know full well that no press corps anywhere in the world receives complete freedom in active warzones. Embedding rules, military coordination, and safety protocols are standard in conflicts around the world. Israel is not unique in regulating access.
In fact, many journalists have been granted entry to Gaza — but like anywhere else in a conflict zone, they must follow protocols for safety and coordination. Claims that Israel is “banning international journalists” are completely false; all these organizations are knowingly misrepresenting the facts to frame Israel as hostile to press freedoms.
The real assault on press independence is the coordinated campaign itself—a manipulation of global media that destroys journalistic integrity and independence. RSF and Avaaz are dictating to newsrooms, turning reporting into pre-scripted, centrally coordinated messaging, as revealed in the leaked document. Independent media died the moment 150 outlets agreed to read the same script. This is not journalism—it is cognitive warfare.
Avaaz, one of the organizations behind the coordinated campaign, is an international online political advocacy platform that runs campaigns on a wide range of issues, but it has repeatedly taken positions strongly aligned with anti-Israel narratives, including campaigns for Israeli officials and soldiers to be taken to the ICC for criminal prosecution. Its staff includes individuals with ties to other NGOs linked to the PFLP.
Fadi Quran, senior campaigner at Avaaz, is also an Al-Shabaka Policy Member and former UN Advocacy Officer with Al-Haq, an organization designed a terrorist organization for its ties to PFLP. In an article published on 2017, he wrote:
“We must cross the threshold to become resistance movements. And we must realize that it’s not enough to protest anymore. We must transform the equations of power.” Fadi Quran, Algemeiner, Apr 3 2017
Fadi Quran, has been active in campaigns supporting Palestinian organizations with known terrorist affiliations. Quran was also arrested multiple times between 2011 and 2014 for his participation in anti-Israel protests and demonstrations.
He has expressed support for terrorists and promoted anti-Israel agitation on social media. Quran was formerly involved with Students for Palestinian Equal Rights (SPER, a precursor to Students for Justice in Palestine), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and other radical activist groups, speaking at events on civil disobedience and even called for a “ThirtIntifada” in 2011
Avaaz has publicly advocated on behalf of prisoners involved in terrorism, protested Israel’s designation of several NGOs as terrorist organizations for their links to the PFLP, and is actively lobbying for UN’s Francesca Albanese, now sanctioned by the U.S., to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Part of Avaaz’s work involves directly lobbying lawmakers and governments, using petitions, media campaigns, and coordinated pressure to influence policy. Through these efforts, Avaaz has consistently amplified actors and narratives aligned with organizations internationally recognized for terrorist activity.
In March 2022, Australian Senator James McGrath proclaimed in the Australian Parliament that
“Avaaz is at the forefront of anti-Israel campaigns, in particular BDS. Avaaz vows it will keep pushing until all companies financing the occupation of Palestine withdraw their investments.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international NGO that claims to defend press freedom worldwide, is not only part of the coordinated media campaign but also engages in lawfare against Israel, submitting multiple formal requests to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In these submissions, RSF frames Palestinian journalists as “victims of Israeli war crimes,” despite the fact that many of these so-called journalists have documented ties to Hamas or other terrorist organizations.
One example of an alleged “victim of Israeli war crimes” is Adel Al Zaanoun, chief Gaza correspondent for AFP, whose home was damaged by the IDF strike nearby last year. His wife, also a journalist and correspondent for Reporters without Borders (RSF) left Gaza with the help of RSF. Together with four of her children and several members of the families of AFP’s reporters in Gaza, she was flown to Qatar aboard an Egyptian military plane after leaving the Gaza Strip.
While Reporters without Borders (RSF) frames him as a victim, Adel Al Zaanoun is part of a network of people teaching media courses for the Hamas Information Ministry and Press House Palestine. Adel Al Zaanoun trained future “journalists” alongside individuals with open ties to terrorist groups. For example: Musab al-Buraim, the spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Adel Al Zaanoun also served as director of the Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF), a nonprofit organization established in December 2007 by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. Officially, the DCMF aimed to “promote press freedom” and “support journalists facing persecution.” In Gaza, the center hosted training sessions where instructors included figures like Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief and member of the Dahdouh clan, a deeply connected clan linked to terrorism, mainly the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. His son Hamza al-Dahdouh was an active member of the terrorist organization.
Many of the so-called journalists involved in the October 7 attack received training in these centers. In the case of the Press House Palestine, the organization has hosted events for Hamas leaders and not only trained many of Hamas operatives in media, they even provided safety equipment and a place to “work” after the October 7th attack, including to those who invaded Israel.
Zaanoun is additionally the nephew of Abu Al-Adib (Salim Al-Zaanoun), one of the leaders of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), further complicating the narrative. RSF’s lawfare campaigns present these individuals uncritically as “victims of Israeli targeting,” ignoring their documented involvement with Hamas-controlled institutions, ties to terrorism and the broader context that likely influenced IDF operations.
The coordinated media campaign is part of a calculated effort to pressure governments and international bodies. The timing seems strategic. Between September 22–30, several countries—including France, the UK, Canada, and Malta—are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the UN, with Australia and Portugal potentially following. There are also efforts to pass resolutions banning Israel from participating in the UN General Assembly. By flooding global media with claims that Israel is “systematically killing journalists,” They aim to manufacture international consent and influence these votes while vilifying Israel globally while we hear the same Soviet propaganda speeches we have heard for decades. “Apartheid,” “Ethnic Cleansing,” “Genocide.”
Since October 7th, numerous people have noted patterns in media coverage that systematically vilify Israel, patterns of coordinated campaigns. For example, an academic study by researchers from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Nigeria. Researchers analyzed 150 sources (Oct ’23–Dec ’24)—from Hamas/PA statements to legal briefs, NGO reports, media & digital campaigns. Their comprehensive analysis offers the first systematic examination of how Palestinian political and civil society organizations orchestrated their advocacy efforts.
A recent study published in Tablet Magazine showed that major media outlets have disproportionately covered the Israel-Hamas war over other global conflicts and manufactured a narrative of “Genocide.” From the very beginning, the war was framed as a “genocide,” since October 19, 2023—just twelve days after Hamas butchered over 1,200 people and kidnapped 250, with 48 remaining hostage. The New York Times published nine times more articles using the terms “Israel” and “genocide” than it ever did during the Rwandan genocide. The Guardian? Six times more. Combine that relentless framing with the routine omission of Hamas atrocities or UN complicity with Hamas, and you manufacture the perfect propaganda product: a defenseless, stateless people at the mercy of “evil Jews.” The narrative isn’t just biased — it’s engineered from the start.
A study by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) exposed how major U.S. and European media outlets amplified Hamas propaganda amid the 2025 Gaza humanitarian crisis. The study found that these misleading narratives were amplified by several major news outlets, Kremlin-aligned media, Iranian influence networks, and conspiratorial actors across the political spectrum. False claims, such as a viral drug-trafficking conspiracy involving GHF.
Even some of the victims of one of the terrorists in the list of “journalist” have pursued legal action against the media outlet that employed their captor Abdallah al-Jamal. A lawsuit filed against The Palestine Chronicle alleges, among other things, they were directly told by their captor that Hamas was coordinating with allies in the media to turn the world against Israel, Jews, and the United States.
Ramzy Baroud, editor in chief of The Palestine Chronicle, sits on the board of the Palestine International Forum for Media and Communications (PMF), also known as Tawasol, a highly sophisticated global network explicitly designed to coordinate media efforts in “service of the Palestinian cause.”
Tawasol’s own materials make no effort to hide their objectives: recruiting journalists worldwide, providing training, syndicating content, and directing messaging to amplify a unified narrative. Many of the board members have well-documented and close ties to Hamas. Media professionals, outlets, and activists within Tawasol are mobilized not as independent journalists, but as components of a coordinated, strategic effort aligned with Hamas to shape global perceptions.
However, this leaked memo goes further than speculation: it confirms that the coordination is not the work of rogue reporters or isolated biases, but a top-down operation orchestrated by the leadership of major media organizations. The individuals who signed onto this campaign are the editors-in-chief, CEOs, and directors themselves—the very people who set editorial agendas. This exposes the campaign as a deliberate, centralized effort from the top echelons of global media, rather than a spontaneous or grassroots journalistic initiative.
Unsurprising, yet beyond shameful, Israeli media and organizations taking part of the coordinated cognitive war attack against Israel. Haaretz, +972 magazine, Foreign Press Association, 7amleh, The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media and Sikha Mekomit, taking part of the coordinated campaign.
Journalists are being told what to say, how to say it, and when to publish. Editorial independence has been replaced with NGO scripting. When 150 outlets across 50 countries publish the same line on the same day, it’s no longer journalism. It’s coordinated propaganda. And this is just one campaign we know about—how many others have occurred?, over how many years?, who is at the top of the coordinated cognitive warfare?.
When you follow a narrative snd cease to look for facts you are a propagandist and not a journalist
THANK YOU FOR COMPILING THIS.