Freelance Photographer Resigns from Reuters, Critiques Coverage of Gaza
On Monday, Canadian freelance photographer Valerie Zink announced her resignation from Reuters after eight years, citing concerns over what she perceives as the agency’s promotion of “Israel propaganda.”
Zink, who has worked in Canada’s Prairie province, expressed her decision to leave the agency based on the “systematic assassination of 245 journalists in Gaza” by Israeli forces. She shared a photo of her cut-up Reuters press badge on social media.
In her statement, she argued that by reiterating what she called Israel’s “genocidal fabrications” without verifying their validity, Western media outlets are neglecting their core responsibility. She claimed that this has contributed to more journalists being killed in two years on a small stretch of land than in major conflicts like WWI, WWII, and others combined, while also causing significant suffering to the local population.
Given the betrayal of journalists in Gaza and the negligence in the assassination of 245 colleagues, I cannot conscientiously continue to work for Reuters. pic.twitter.com/wo6tjhqdiu
– Valerie Zink (@valeriezink) August 26, 2025
Since the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023, which escalated the conflict with Israel, over 245 journalists have lost their lives.
Zink, who previously supported the Palestinian cause, criticized Reuters for amplifying claims she deemed “baseless” about an Al Jazeera journalist killed by Israeli forces. She referenced another recent death of a Reuters photographer during an Israeli strike, suggesting that Western media failed to create the right circumstances for safer reporting.
In her resignation notes, she mentioned how much she valued her time at Reuters but could no longer wear the press badge without feelings of shame and sadness.
Reuters has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Zink’s resignation but expressed sorrow over the death of photographer Hotsam Almasli and is seeking more information from Israeli authorities about the strike.
– Reuters Press Team (@ReuterSPR) August 25, 2025
In a joint statement, Reuters and the Associated Press condemned the assaults on journalists and urged the Israeli Defense Forces to conduct a thorough investigation. They emphasized the need for safer access to Gaza and the protection of press freedoms.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his regret over the incident at Nasser Hospital and confirmed that an investigation is underway. President Donald Trump also commented, expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation while emphasizing the need to resolve the ongoing conflict.
