This is a story of two contrasting headlines. When Karen wrote about the rescue of four Israeli hostages by the IDF, she said "IDF Heroes Rescue Four Israeli Hostages Still Alive." However, CNN initially took a very different approach during a segment featuring Victor Blackwell and Ian Bremmer. A chyron appeared during the segment declaring, "Gantz postpones news conference after hostage release." Pardon me? Did you say... "release?" Hamas didn't release anyone. The IDF undertook a bloody, dangerous mission to retrieve those four hostages and slay the monsters who had been holding them as prisoners and terrorizing them for eight months. One soldier died as a result of the effort. The only people "released" were the souls of the Hamas terrorists who are no doubt currently on their way to rot in hell. The New York Post noted that plenty of people "pounced" on CNN's blunder. 

CNN came in for sharp criticism Saturday after running a segment that said Israeli hostages rescued in the daring morning operation in Gaza had been released.

Network anchor Victor Blackwell and Ian Bremmer, founder of the Eurasia Group, were both discussing the dramatic mission to save the four hostages when the word “release” appeared in a chyron.

Critics pounced, pointing out that Hamas did not willingly release these hostages.

Come on @CNN - the four hostages were RESCUED not released.

Do better. pic.twitter.com/jSh9RDtgMs

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) June 8, 2024

Hostage release?

Seriously @CNN? you should be ashamed. what a disgusting headline.

Hamas didn't "release" these Hostages, the IDF rescued them after Hamas held them for 8 months!! pic.twitter.com/dk9YQJeZ5a

— Yaari Cohen (@YaariCohen) June 8, 2024

To be fair to CNN, Victor Blackwell didn't use the word "release" himself. That came from someone in the newsroom manning the keyboard controlling the chyron. I would like to offer them the benefit of the doubt and assume that this was just an accident that popped up during a breaking news event, but it's rather difficult to do so. This just seems to be typical of the culture at CNN. They have been quick to accept anything said by Hamas' Ministry of Health in Gaza when it comes to casualty figures in the Strip and quick to lay blame at the feet of the IDF for nearly anything. When terrorists blew up their own hospital's parking lot with an errant rocket, CNN was quick to blame Israeli rockets, setting a pattern of taking Hamas at their word.

It's not as if this pattern has been a secret. Back in February we saw repeated reports suggesting that the people at the top of the food chain at CNN were directing positive coverage of the Israeli response to the terror attacks, but the anchors and newsroom staff were pushing back against them. One CNN newsroom staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Guardian that management's policies regarding coverage of the war in Gaza amounted to "journalistic malpractice." They accused CNN executives of demanding "a regurgitation of Israeli propaganda and the censoring of Palestinian perspectives." 

Much of the "blame" (if you want to call it that)  is being laid at the feet of CNN's editor-in-chief and CEO, Mark Thompson, who took over only days after the terror attacks of October 7. He has since directed that all stories covering the war in Gaza be cleared through CNN's Jerusalem editor before being aired. The resentment has been palpable according to multiple outlets who have covered the story and a number of staff members have been discussing leaving their positions over it.

The crackdown hasn't been entirely effective, however. I've watched any number of segments on CNN where they focus more on the death toll among the Gazans than they do on the sacrifices being made by the IDF in their effort to eliminate the terrorists. The hostages are mentioned occasionally, but not all that often, typically only in terms of ongoing ceasefire negotiations and terms. With that said, I will acknowledge that CNN could be doing worse in terms of covering the war, but they could also be doing a lot better in many ways. Not everything needs to be depicted as shades of gray when covering the news. There was one set of victims and one set of villains during the October 7 terror attacks. The IDF is currently eliminating the terrorist threat and Hamas brought all of this on itself. There is no sin in covering that news in a way that reflects this reality.