The Hamas media department sponsored the ceremony, saying it was "honoring media organizations for their role in covering field events in the Gaza Strip during the days of the aggression."
During the war, the Gaza media dutifully refused to report on Hamas rockets being shot from residential neighborhoods, or of Gazans killed by misfired rockets, or of how GAza human rights organizations identified terrorists killed by Israel as "civilian."
Scores of journalists attended the event, not at all embarrassed to be associated with Hamas, which does not allow freedom of the press in Gaza at all. Hamas logos were prominently displayed during the event.
