TIME Magazine Slammed for Glorifying Released Palestinian Terrorists in 'Top Photos of 2025'

TIME Magazine is facing sharp backlash after including a photograph of released Palestinian prisoners in its "Top 100 Photos of 2025," with critics accusing the outlet of whitewashing terrorism and promoting a one-sided narrative that ignores the convicts' violent histories.The image, captured by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, shows Palestinian prisoners waving from a bus as they arrive at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis following their release by Israel during a ceasefire deal.

TIME highlighted it among its top selections, describing the scene as "moving" and focusing on the prisoners' excitement to reunite with families. However, the caption and accompanying text omit any mention of the individuals' backgrounds as convicted terrorists involved in attacks against Israelis.

Israeli Arab activist and commentator Yoseph Haddad lambasted the choice in a viral X post on December 24, calling it "another way to promote the Palestinian narrative at the expense of truth, morality, and justice." Haddad, a vocal advocate for Israel, argued that the photo fails to note "these are the most evil possible convicted terrorists, who were arrested for the terrorism they committed, and who don’t have a drop of humanity in them." He branded TIME as one of the "top 10 hypocritical and terror-supporting media outlets of 2025," a sentiment echoed across pro-Israel social media circles.

The photo is part of TIME's annual year-in-review feature, published on November 25, which showcases 100 defining images from global events.

While the full list covers a range of topics, including conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, the inclusion of the prisoner release, without context about the security prisoners' convictions for offenses like attempted murder and supporting terrorism, has drawn ire from Jewish groups and Israeli officials. The release was part of a November 2024 hostage-ceasefire agreement that saw Israel free over 300 Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for Israeli captives held by Hamas.

Ambassador Michael Herzog, Israel's envoy to the U.S., retweeted Haddad's post, adding, "Shame on TIME for sanitizing terror. These aren't 'prisoners,' they're terrorists who targeted innocents." The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned the framing as "dangerous distortion," urging TIME to add context or retract the image to avoid fueling antisemitism.