Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international anchor, apologized on Monday for remarks suggesting that Hamas had “probably” treated Israeli hostages better than “average Gazans.”
“I regret saying that they may have been treated better than many Gazans, because Hamas used these hostages as pawns and bargaining chips. It was insensitive and wrong,” Amanpour wrote on X.
The veteran anchor has a history of making controversial statements about Israel.
.@amanpour: The Israeli hostages have "probably been treated better than the average Gazan because they are the pawns & the chips that Hamas had."
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 13, 2025
Starved, electrocuted, held in chains & cages underground, forced to dig their own graves.
Is that what she considers being treated… pic.twitter.com/RxNYOhwSF5
“From speaking to many former hostages and their families, like everyone, I’ve been horrified at what Hamas has subjected them to over two long years. They’ve told me their stories of barely being able to breathe in the tunnels, not being allowed to cry, being starved and made to dig their own graves—and, of course, today, some of the hostages are coming back in body bags,” added Amanpour.
HonestReporting, an organization that monitors and exposes anti-Israel bias in the media, criticized Amanpour for her remarks, in a post on X that drew thousands of reposts.
“Thanks to our exposure of her appalling commentary and your help sharing it online, Amanpour has issued an apology,” HonestReporting wrote. “This isn’t the first time she’s had to apologize for her anti-Israel bias. Shame on her for this latest atrocious example.”
In April 2023, Amanpour referred to the Palestinian terrorist attack in which Lucy Dee and her daughters Maia and Rina Dee were murdered by Palestinian gunmen as a “shootout,” during an interview with Palestinian authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Amanpour later apologized for this mischaracterization.
Today’s @nytimes front page is beyond disgusting.
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 13, 2025
“The exchange of hostages” – as if Hamas terrorists and murderers are somehow equal to Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
This is moral collapse printed in black and white. pic.twitter.com/4evmgYUIRS
HonestReporting also criticized The New York Times on Monday for a photo caption that described the release of Palestinian prisoners—including 250 convicted terrorists—in exchange for Israelis held in Gaza as an “exchange of hostages.”
The text presents a narrative in which “Hamas terrorists and murderers are somehow equal to Israeli hostages held in Gaza. This is moral collapse printed in black and white,” HonestReporting wrote on X.
The Times did not immediately respond publicly to the criticism.
