# Ms Rachel calls Gaza journalist 'friend'

> Ms Rachel labels Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza her 'friend' in resurfaced clip after he admits hiding Oct 7 hostage footage.
- Title: Ms Rachel calls Gaza journalist 'friend' · Fox News | Shortify
- Summary: Ms Rachel labels Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza her 'friend' in resurfaced clip after he admits hiding Oct 7 hostage footage. Ms Rachel called…
- Keywords: motaz azaiza, ms rachel, gaza, oct 7, hostage footage, palestinian journalist, israeli hostages, news, politics, Rachel, calls, journalist
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/media/ms-rachel-calls-gaza-journalist-friend-resurfaced-clip-admits-hiding-oct-7-hostage-footage
- Author: CJ Womack
- Published: 2026-09-20T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: motaz azaiza, ms rachel, gaza, oct 7, hostage footage, palestinian journalist, israeli hostages, news, politics
## Resurfaced clip
A 2025 video resurfaced shows Ms Rachel calling Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza her 'friend'.

> Hi, yes, it’s M, for my friend, Motaz. Yay! Bye!
## Azaiza's Oct 7 footage
Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza admitted hiding footage of Israeli hostages beaten by crowds in Gaza on Oct 7, 2023.

> I saw the vehicle of the Al-Qassam Brigades, and there were Israeli captives there
## Azaiza's reason for withholding footage
Azaiza withheld footage because he feared Israeli authorities would identify Palestinians in videos and arrest them.

> I did not want to be responsible, even indirectly, for the deaths of those people in exchange for a few likes and views online
## Azaiza's criticism of Hamas
Azaiza criticized Hamas for failing to protect Palestinians in Gaza despite supporting armed Palestinian resistance.

> Why should a Palestinian be cheap in the eyes of Palestinians themselves? You are making people hate the resistance with your own hands
## Rachel's Gaza stance
Ms Rachel accused celebrities of applying racial double standards by remaining silent about Palestinian children.

> They probably would say something if these kids were White and from a different place
## Criticism of Rachel
California Republican Party’s Jewish engagement chair called Rachel's Gaza advocacy misleading and manipulative.

> Ms Rachel is essentially sanitizing terrorism with false and misleading information to emotionally manipulate her very impressionable following
## Rachel's response
Fox News Digital did not receive immediate comment from Ms Rachel on the story.
## Key takeaway

Ms Rachel called Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza her 'friend' in a video resurfaced after he admitted withholding footage of Israeli hostages beaten in Gaza on Oct 7, 2023.