Sky News’ international affairs editor has prompted angry claims that he praised the head of Hamas in a social media post on Tuesday.
Reporting on an encounter between the terror chief and a group of Israeli captives, Dominic Waghorn wrote on X/Twitter: “Hamas leader Yahya Sin- war met with the Israeli hostages a day after they were taken in tunnels under Gaza and told them they would not be harmed and would be returned as part of a hostage deal.
“Undermines the Israeli Hamas = Isis storyline.”
In a further post, he added: “They were held in reasonable conditions, reportedly, though those held above ground lived with the fear of being killed in Israel’s bombardment.”
A third post said: “None of this takes away from the barbarity they wit- nessed at the hands of Hamas.”
Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar met with the Israeli hostages a day after they were taken in tunnels under Gaza and told them they would not be harmed and would be returned as part of a hostage deal. Undermines the Israeli Hamas = ISIS storyline.
— Dominic Waghorn (@DominicWaghorn) November 28, 2023
The Board of Deputies said in a statement: “Dominic Waghorn praising Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar for saying he will not murder Israeli hostages is appalling.
"It is hard to imagine the kind of mental gymnastics needed to see Sinwar in a good light following the massacre of over 1,000 innocent children, women and men on 7th October. Sky News should take action to ensure this doesn't happen again.”
Russell Langer, director of Public Affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) said: "On Saturday 7th October, Hamas perpetrated a pogrom - killing, mutilating, raping and kidnapping - resulting in the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
"In these actions, we saw the true nature of Hamas and the reality of their desire to wipe Israel off the map. It is clear that Hamas is attempting a propaganda campaign to undo the severe damage they have done to their own cause.
"Those who report on Hamas' lies without reflecting this motive fail the audience they are meant serve."
A Sky News spokesperson said: “We recognise the importance of covering this story accurately and with sensitivity. Dominic is one of Sky’s most experienced correspondents on the Middle East and has consistently put into context claims made by Hamas and its refusal to recognise Israel's right to exist. In his series of tweets he did not praise Yahya Sinwar, and he did not defend Hamas. He also highlighted that hostages feared for their lives and reminded us of the Hamas atrocities of October 7th.”
