For the first time since the outbreak of the war, Israelis are suing the Al-Jazeera network for its role in echoing the horrors of October 7 and its sympathetic coverage toward Hamas. The lawsuit was filed by dozens of victims of the massacre, including Morris Schneider, the uncle of Shiri Bibas, who was murdered in Hamas captivity after being taken on Oct. 7 by Hamas terrorists along with her two children Kfir and Ariel. The complaint was submitted to the federal court in Washington.
Schneider, the brother of Shiri's mother Margit Silberman, who was murdered with her husband Yossi in Nir Oz, said upon filing the lawsuit that "the cruel murder of Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel by terrorists from Gaza is an inconceivable atrocity that has destroyed our family forever, and has caused pain to millions of good people around the world.
"The kidnapping and barbaric murder of toddlers is unimaginable; only pure evil can see a child as a threat or enemy. The punishment for murdering a baby in a civilized society is severe and rightfully so. All the more so when it involves kidnapping, torture, and murder. We can never erase from our minds their suffering and the torture they endured before their deaths at the hands of terrorists.
No person with a shred of humanity could. Though no legal action can stop the pain and trauma of losing our family members in this way, we are determined to achieve justice and bring those responsible for these abhorrent crimes to justice."
The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Washington by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president of the Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center, and utilized research conducted by attorney Jordan Cope from the StandWithUs organization. It states that Al-Jazeera employed several Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists as journalists, some of whom were directly involved in the October 7 attack.
Additionally, the lawsuit highlights exclusive interviews conducted by Al-Jazeera with Hamas leaders, including those who carried out attacks against Israeli and American civilians. The lawsuit is also directed at Al-Jazeera's US subsidiary, claiming it played a direct role in supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
"Terrorist organizations need media outlets"
The lawsuit, based on US anti-terror laws, also claims that Al-Jazeera knowingly assisted and helped terrorist organizations spread propaganda, recruit activists, and incite violence.
"Terrorist organizations do not operate alone. They need financial support, logistical networks, and media outlets to advance their agenda. Al-Jazeera served as an agent of the terrorist organization Hamas," said attorney Darshan-Leitner.
"US law is clear: those who knowingly provide substantial assistance to terrorists are as guilty as those who carry out the attacks. We will not allow them to hide behind the facade of a news network while acting as a mouthpiece for terrorist organizations. They will pay the price."
Meanwhile, a senior security official confirms the central claim of the lawsuit and tells Israel Hayom that Al-Jazeera is a central tool for Hamas to magnify its power. "This Qatari network is a force multiplier for Hamas. Take, for example, the horrific ceremonies of hostage releases. They are broadcast on Al-Jazeera as mass events, while only one hundred to two hundred people participate. Hamas relies on these broadcasts to create the impression that it is in a much better state than it is in the real world."
