Reuters Staff Decry UK Agency’s Pro-’Israel’ Bias in Gaza War Coverage

By Staff, Agencies

Reuters is under fire from its own journalists for what they describe as a consistent pro-"Israel" tilt in the agency’s reporting on the war in Gaza. Staff members point to an internal review, editorial restrictions, and management’s failure to address grievances as evidence of compromised objectivity.

According to a Thursday report by investigative outlet Declassified UK, dissent within Reuters surfaced early in "Israel’s" assault on Gaza in October 2023.

Journalists alleged the agency devoted more resources to "Israeli" perspectives while neglecting Palestinian voices, prompting a group of staff to conduct an internal review of hundreds of articles categorized under "Israel"-Palestine.

The tension intensified after "Israeli" forces assassinated Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif earlier this month. Reuters’ headline on the incident — "Israel" kills Al Jazeera journalist it says was Hamas leader — drew internal outrage.

Sharif had previously worked with Reuters, and staff argued the framing illustrated deeper systemic bias.

The internal review criticized Reuters’ editorial policies, including bans on the term “Palestine” and restrictions on citing expert claims that "Israel" is committing genocide in Gaza.

By contrast, employees noted, the agency has prominently featured similar accusations regarding Ukraine. In May 2024, Reuters amended its style guide to allow use of the term “genocide” when attributed, but the Palestine ban remained.

Declassified found that from June to August 2024, only 14 out of 300 Reuters articles mentioned genocide, almost always accompanied by "Israel’s" denial.

Staff said the practice reflects a double standard. West Asia historian Dr. Assal Rad told Declassified: “The pattern you note is essentially genocide denial.”

Concerns about editorial interference have surfaced across multiple Western outlets. Declassified previously revealed that former "Israeli" military chief Aviv Kohavi met senior editors from the BBC, Financial Times, and Guardian in London to “foster support” for "Israel’s" actions.

CNN staff told The Guardian in February 2024 that their network engaged in “journalistic malpractice” by suppressing Palestinian voices and subjecting reports to "Israeli" military review.

BBC journalists have also publicly criticized their employer for echoing "Israeli" talking points and prioritizing "Israeli" casualties over Palestinian ones.

Reuters’ internal discontent is not isolated. In 2024, one desk editor resigned, accusing management of “actively stifling critiques.”

Many journalists argue that failing to reflect Palestinian perspectives while downplaying "Israeli" atrocities erodes public trust.