Overview

• Two Hamas and Islamic Jihad videos released early August show hostages Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David severely emaciated after 660 days in captivity.
• HonestReporting’s August 7 report accuses leading Western outlets of burying or downplaying the hostage footage while spotlighting unverified images of Palestinian suffering.
• NBC News published now-debunked photos of a starving Palestinian child without confirmation but said it could not independently verify the videos of Evyatar David.
• The New York Times, The Washington Post and BBC relegated the hostage videos to minor mentions and pre-captivity portraits while giving front-page space to false or disputed Gaza images.
• Media watchdogs warn that this selective coverage reflects a broader editorial double standard that undermines journalistic accountability in conflict reporting.