The Associated Press drew widespread criticism, including from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, for stating that Shiri Bibas and her sons Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months, “died in captivity.”
“Hamas murdered these hostages. They didn’t just ‘die in captivity,’ as if by natural causes,” wrote Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). “Why does AP want to sugar coat this?”
“The terrorists of Hamas murder an infant and a child, as well as a mother, in cold blood and with their bare hands,” stated Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). “The AP chooses to whitewash the baby killers, calling them ‘militants’ rather than terrorists and claiming the children ‘died'—rather than were murdered—in captivity. Disgraceful.”
“If you are supposed to be the press, then why, why, why can’t you report some facts accurately,” wrote Todd Richman, co-chair of Democratic Majority for Israel. “She and her sons did not die in captivity. They were murdered! Her babies were choked to death! Shame on you.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) wrote a similar response, as did Donald Trump Jr., one of the U.S. president’s sons.
David Harris, a former CEO of the American Jewish Committee who is executive vice chair of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, wrote that the AP meant “genocidal terrorists” when it referred to Palestinian “militants,” and that the news wire was wrong to say the Bibas children and their mother “died in captivity.”
“No, AP, Shiri Bibas and her young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were kidnapped and murdered by genocidal terrorists,” Harris wrote. “AP says it’s committed to ‘highest standards of accurate, unbiased journalism.’ Really?”
“Are you actually kidding me AP,” wrote Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. “Died in captivity!? Is it not enough that you hire known Hamas members as photographers, do you now just spout their disinformation for them?”
John Podhoretz, the editor of Commentary magazine, referred to U.S. President Donald Trump barring the AP from press briefings. “I hope you never set a foot into the White House briefing room, you Hamas-propagandizing ghouls,” he wrote. “Drop dead.”
