“Put off your old self and put on the new self.”
On the 8th, The Washington Stand reported that the German daily newspapers Süddeutsche Zeitung and BILD warned that some photographs used in reporting on the Gaza war were staged or presented in misleading contexts. The two outlets highlighted the work of Palestinian activist and photographer Anas Zayed Fteiah as a representative case, cautioning that such images could be exploited to distort global opinion in an anti-Israel direction.
One controversial example was the Time magazine cover on August 1, titled “Gaza Tragedy,” which featured women pleading desperately with empty bowls. Yet other photos taken at the same time and location showed residents calmly receiving food during rationing, suggesting that the published image conveyed a false impression of the actual circumstances.
“In the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas controls 100 percent of image production, with the goal of generating sympathy in the West and inciting anger against Israel,” said historian and photography expert Gerhard Paul. He explained that even when not outright false, images can still be used to distort reality through deliberately emotional framing and captions.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also criticized the manipulation of imagery. “The United Nations has hundreds of aid trucks but is failing to distribute them,” he said, stressing that Hamas is the real cause of Palestinian suffering. He described the photographs in question as staged and added, “We do not deny the need for humanitarian aid, but the world must not be deceived by false narratives.”
According to Israeli authorities, more than 94 million tons of food have been delivered to Gaza since the outbreak of war—equivalent to about 3,200 calories per person per day. However, it is alleged that Hamas intercepts a significant portion, stockpiling supplies or reselling them to residents at inflated prices to finance the war. Chris Mitchell of CBN News commented, “No one denies that there is hunger in Gaza, but the problem is that much of the aid is looted by Hamas.”
Casey Harper of the U.S.-based Family Research Council pointed to a recent case in which The New York Times mistakenly reported that an 18-month-old infant with a genetic disorder was suffering from malnutrition, warning that similar distortions are appearing in war coverage. The paper later corrected the report, acknowledging the child’s pre-existing health condition.
Experts warn that such manipulated or misleading images go beyond journalism and influence international policy decisions. German media outlets have noted that Hamas’s staged scenes help obscure the brutality of the October 7, 2023 massacre, in which 1,200 Israeli civilians were murdered or kidnapped. Caroline Glick, former international affairs adviser to the Israeli prime minister, stated, “Hamas’s lies are being circulated through Western media as though they were truth. The responsibility for the suffering caused by this war rests entirely with Hamas.”(Source: Gospel Prayer Newspaper, Edited version)
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (Ephesians 4:22-25,NIV)
God, we ask that You rebuke those who spread false images and stories for unrighteous gain in the midst of Palestinians’ desperate need caused by the war between Hamas and Israel. Shine the light of truth, Lord, and bring about repentance so that people may put off the old self that stirs up strife and division out of endless greed, and put on the new self that walks in truth. Stretch out Your gracious hand over the Gaza Strip, where famine and plundering prevail. Heal this land through the gospel of the cross, which reconciled us to You when we were still Your enemies, and bring restoration swiftly by Your mercy.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
