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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - September 20, 2026, 12 AM Eastern · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

• 0:08
  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today, ongoing war report, I'm Noah Levi.
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  Speaker 1: We begin today with a story raising questions about journalistic
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  Speaker 1: standards and accountability in conflict zones. Gazan photojournalist Motaz Azaza,
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  Speaker 1: who gained prominence for his coverage from Gaza, recently explained
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  Speaker 1: in a podcast interview, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
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  Speaker 1: why he withheld footage of Israeli hostages being beaten on
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  Speaker 1: October 7, 2023. Azaza stated he feared for the lives
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  Speaker 1: of the Palestinians filmed in the footage. However, the editorial
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  Speaker 1: in the Jerusalem Post questions this decision, arguing it betrays
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  Speaker 1: the victims and accepted journalistic practices. The editors point out
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  Speaker 1: that captives' families needed information, and evidence existed. They suggest
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  Speaker 1: Azaza could have blurred faces or sought independent examination of
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  Speaker 1: the footage, arguing concern about retaliation, cannot excuse withholding the
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  Speaker 1: truth of an assault. The report also touches on Azaz's
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  Speaker 1: disclosures about Hamas's intimidation tactics and his condemnation of Hamas leaders,
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  Speaker 1: noting these deserve serious coverage and should prompt international editors
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  Speaker 1: to examine what may have been missing from their reporting
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  Speaker 1: due to potential pressure on journalists. Turning to international diplomacy
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  Speaker 1: and domestic politics, a report published by Ronan Bergman in
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  Speaker 1: Yediyath Aranoth alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was repeatedly
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  Speaker 1: warned that Qatari funds were being used to finance Hamas's
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  Speaker 1: military branch. This report surfaced earlier this week. In response,
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  Speaker 1: Qatar's international media office issued a strong denial, stating plainly,
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  Speaker 1: Qatar has never provided money to Hamas. They characterised the
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  Speaker 1: Israeli allegations as an attempt by elements of Israel's far-right
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  Speaker 1: and political figures to deflect attention from domestic political failures
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  Speaker 1: and portray Qatar as a convenient scapegoat. Qatar confirmed it
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  Speaker 1: does provide assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, coordinated with
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  Speaker 1: international partners. Prime Minister Netanyahu's office swiftly rebutted the report,
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  Speaker 1: calling it a collection of recycled lies that have already
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  Speaker 1: been disproven. The PMO also asserted that the previous Bennett-Lapid
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  Speaker 1: government was responsible for restoring Qatari funding, not Netanyahu. Meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: Qatar recently signed an agreement with the UN to deliver
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  Speaker 1: fuel to the Gaza Strip. Finally, a different kind of
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  Speaker 1: response to the ongoing conflict. According to an analysis by UNIT,
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  Speaker 1: demand for pre-military academies in Israel has surged by about
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  Speaker 1: 50% since October 7th. Thousands of Israeli teenagers are volunteering, training,
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  Speaker 1: and seeking meaningful service in the IDF, driven by a
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  Speaker 1: growing sense of responsibility in the wake of the war.
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: For continuing coverage of antisemitism around the world, listen to
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: Antisemitism Watch from Clockwork Media. Find it at clockwickmedia.org slash watch.
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: I'm Noah Levi, thank you for listening to Israel Today,
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: ongoing war report. Stay safe and informed. Follow Israel Today,
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: ongoing war report in your podcast app so you don't
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: miss the next update. Keep in mind that this AI-generated
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for
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  Speaker 1: a comprehensive view.