Media Bias in Reporting on Sexual Assault on October 7th - Breaking Down the Damage

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Rania Batrice and analyst Krystal Ball look at the controversy surrounding allegations of widespread and systematic sexual assault by Hamas on October 7th. This conversation does not ask “was there or wasn’t there sexual assault on October 7?” Rather, it focuses on the harm caused by biased media reports and the absence of independent and thorough investigations. The podcast discusses how the narratives promulgated by mainstream US media - most notably the 12/28/23 New York Times front-page article entitled "Screams Without Words: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on October 7th" - have contributed to the dehumanization of the entire Palestinian population of Gaza, and the politicization of what should be a serious demand for professional investigation and accountability for the crimes of October 7th.
Krystal Ball is the host of Breaking Points, a former MSNBC contributor and former Democratic nominee for Congress in the First District of Virginia.
Rania Batrice is an activist and strategist for progressive change, a public relations specialist, and a political consultant. She is one of FMEP's 2024 Palestinian non-resident Fellows.
Relevant Articles:
Krystal Ball, 3/5/24, on the UN Report released on 3/4/24: UN Report CAN'T Prove 10/7 Mass Sex Assault Claims
Krystal Ball 3/5/24, Local Israelis DEBUNK NYT Sexual Assault Allegation - video clip
Krystal Ball 2/29/24 on the New York Times 12/28/23 story, ““'Screams Without Words': How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7.” - video clip
CNN 3/1/24: The New York Times stands by its reporting on the Hamas terror attack after questions are raised
The Nation 3/1/24: The Nixonian New York Times Stonewalls on a Discredited Article About Hamas and Rape - The newspaper of record botches an important story about sexual violence on October 7.
The Wrap 2/29/24: New York Times Opens Leak Investigation Over Israel-Gaza Reporting
Jacobin 2/29/24: The New York Times Has an Ugly Anti-Palestinian Bias
Vanity Fair 2/29/24: New York Times Launches Leak Investigation Over Report on Its Israel-Gaza Coverage
The Intercept 2/28/24: “Between the Hammer and the Anvil” -The Story Behind the New York Times October 7 Exposé
Al Jazeera 2/28/24: Food blogger, Israeli film director scripted Hamas rape story for NYT
Daily Beast 2/25/24: New York Times ‘Reviewing’ Reporter Who Liked Gaza ‘Slaughterhouse’ Tweet
Common Dreams 2/26/24: NYT 'Reviewing' Israeli Reporter Who Liked Gaza 'Slaughterhouse' Post
Mondoweiss 2/25/24: Extraordinary charges of bias emerge against NYTimes reporter Anat Schwartz
The Intercept 1/28/24: New York Times Puts “Daily” Episode on Ice Amid Internal Firestorm Over Hamas Sexual Violence Article

[@terriej123]

Jeremy Scahill says that the fact that Anat & her nephew didn’t have much experience isn’t that unusual because when you’re working in war zones, you sometimes have to depend on & partner with non-journalists. He puts all of the blame on Gettleman & the NYT for not overseeing their work & the investigating as a whole.

[@rezakarampour6286]

' The World's Most Documented Genocide In History . '

[@jboudon11]

: ) i have that molly crabapple poster in my classroom!!

[@RobinHerzig]

Would've been better to have Ali Abunimah from the Electronic Intifada, or Nora Barrows-Friedman, or the reporters from Mondoweiss first debunking the NYT mass rapes story, or have Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim come on to discuss their original reporting.
I get that Krystal Ball is a woman + an independent reporter analyzing The Intercept's piece here to critique NYT bias generally. Hearing directly from the original journalists would've been good too.

[@bensweiss]

Grayzone, Mondoweiss, and Electronic Intifada, first started debunking the NYT Oct 7th allegations article. The Intercept story builds upon their work.

[@mardasman428]

Denialism of established facts for a political purpose is among the worst things people can do.