CNN faced strong criticism on Saturday following a segment that incorrectly reported that Israeli hostages rescued in a daring morning operation in Gaza had been released. During an interview discussing the hostage rescue operation, a headline appeared on the screen stating that the hostages had been "released" instead of "rescued."
Network anchor Victor Blackwell and Ian Bremmer, founder of the Eurasia Group, were discussing the dramatic mission to save the four hostages when the word "release" appeared in a chyron. However, neither of the men used the word "release" in their discussion. Critics quickly pounced on the news network, accusing them of completely misrepresenting the angle of the story.
Misrepresentation but Not Intentional
Critics argued that Hamas did not willingly "release" the hostages and that the Israel Defense Forces actually rescued them. Israeli military personnel successfully secured the four hostages in what military leaders described as a "complex daytime operation."
"Come on @CNN the four hostages were RESCUED not released. Do better," said the account StopAntisemitism in a posting to X.
Yaari Cohen, an Israeli student, described the chyron as "disgusting," and added that the network "should be ashamed."
"Hamas didn't "release" these Hostages, the IDF rescued them after Hamas held them for 8 months!!" Cohen said on X.
"Yeah, they were released after the IDF killed about 24 Hamas Terrorists That were guarding the hostages," wrote Chief Woodman.
"What is this CNN? Hostages were rescued, they were not released. This is an important distinction," argued another user.
"CNN is fake news. The terrorists didn't 'release' the hostages, they were rescued. Can't you guys ever just say the truth," another wrote on X.
"CNN so glad that Israeli commanders released the hostages from the terrorists holding them. I wondered why no one trusts the media anymore - such a mystery."
Complex Operation
Neither man used the word "release" during the interview, which focused on Israel's war cabinet minister Benny Gantz postponing a press conference where he was expected to announce his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Israel identified the rescued hostages as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.
They were transported to a hospital for medical examinations and were reported to be in good health, according to the military.
Later on Saturday evening, video footage captured Meir Jan celebrating with his friends after he was rescued earlier in the day.
There were scenes of joy as he reunited with them for the first time in over eight months.
All four of the captives that were freed on Saturday were taken hostage from the Nova music festival during the deadly raid by Hamas-led Palestinian militants on October 7 on Israeli towns and villages surrounding Gaza by Palestinian terrorists commanded by Hamas.
The hostage rescue operation and the heavy airstrike that followed it occurred in central Gaza's al-Nuseirat, a heavily populated and frequently beleaguered region in the war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist organization that rules the Palestinian enclave.
