U.N. Rapporteur Albanese’s One-Sided Narrative Propping Up Hamas Terrorists

You may remember Ms. Francesca Albanese, U.N. “Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967,” from our previous writings found here and here. Albanese has been sanctioned by the United States government over a pattern of anti-Israel rhetoric.

Her mandate as a Special Rapporteur at the U.N. has given her an official platform to present a one-sided narrative of so-called human rights violations by Israel. Her reports consistently and falsely accuse Israel of serious crimes against Palestinians while distorting International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law, while never telling the other side of the story. In Albanese’s view, everything Israel does to defend itself from acts of terrorism is a crime.

Recently, she called on non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to provide “Input on the Role of Media in the Context of Israel’s Policies and Practices Toward the Palestinian People, Especially After 7 October 2023.” As the title suggests, this call does not seek objective input on the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, or Israel’s policies – it only seeks information about “Israel’s policies.”

Its two-page list of “types of input/comments sought” zeroes in on Israel’s alleged targeting of Palestinian journalists – while ignoring any inquiry into Hamas or other actors operating under the cover of journalism. The omission is glaring and, unfortunately, consistent with her tactics.

Through our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), which has Special Consultative status at the U.N., we have submitted our input, setting the record straight. Our submission provides information on how Hamas and other like-minded terrorist organizations unlawfully exploit the protective status afforded to journalists under International Humanitarian Law. It also details the extent of terrorist control over the media in Gaza.

Notably, under International Humanitarian Law, journalists are protected only so long as they “take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians.” If an individual acts on behalf of Hamas or another terrorist organization, then the journalist becomes a legitimate military target.

Our input provides several examples where terrorists in Gaza were operating under the guise of journalists. For instance:

On August 10, 2025, the “IDF conducted a precision strike in Gaza City targeting Anas Al-Sharif, a Hamas terrorist who posed as a journalist for the Qatari network Al Jazeera. Al-Sharif, head of a Hamas cell, was responsible for facilitating and advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF forces.” Documents recovered in Gaza “confirm his operational position within Hamas and his integration into the Al Jazeera network.”

Other such examples can be found in our input. We also provided information about how Hamas censors and retaliates against journalists in Gaza.

For instance:

“On April 27, 2025, Tawfiq Abu Jarad, a correspondent for Ramallah-based Sawt al-Hurriya radio station, received a call from a Hamas security agent warning him not to cover a women’s anti-war demonstration in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahia.” Hamas also warned Jarad “about his wife’s potential involvement in the demonstration.” Previously, on November 15, 2023, he was beaten and questioned “by Hamas operatives in Rafah, who alleged he was ‘covering events in the Gaza Strip calling for a coup.’” Jarad “filed a complaint to PJS over the intimidation, which slammed Hamas’s infringement on press freedom.” . . .

In January 2024, Mohammed Abu Aoun, a correspondent for Fatah-affiliated Awda TV was beaten by several members of Hamas’ Internal Security Service after a woman insulted Hamas during her interview with him near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah.”

Our input concludes that Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza continue to unlawfully exploit the protections International Humanitarian Law affords to journalists. It further documents Hamas’ extensive control over media in Gaza, including efforts to shape coverage and disseminate disinformation about Israel. Journalists who report critically on Hamas face censorship and, in some cases, retaliation.

These tactics must end. But to get to the truth, you have to look at the whole picture. When Special Rapporteur Albanese leaves out Hamas’ actions and its control over the media, it creates a misleading story. We’ll keep showing up and speaking out to make sure the law is applied correctly – and not twisted or abused.

Join us as we stand and defend Israel. Sign our petition.