The Washington Post has launched an investigation into one of their own reporters after social media posts surfaced that support violence against Israel.
Heba Farouk Mahfouz, a reporter at the Washington Post’s Cairo bureau since 2016, has spent most of her time in recent years covering Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists with a distinct anti-Israel bias. She also covers “human rights, gender issues, the economy, [and] religious minorities,” according to her Washington Post bio.
However, recently uncovered social media posts from before she joined the leftist outlet show that her beliefs go far beyond simply opposing Israel, as she has expressed outright support for the “resistance” In Gaza — meaning the Hamas terrorists’ fight against Israel — and has declared Israel to be an “illegal” state.
The posts were uncovered by independent journalist Eitan Fischberger, who highlighted the fact that Mahfouz was a major contributor to the Washington Post’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war despite having a strong bias against Israel.
“Since the start of 2025, all 13 of the articles she’s written have focused on Israel and Hamas. The problem? She actually supports Hamas, and thinks Israel shouldn’t exist,” Fischberger began his post thread on X.
He went on to argue that it is “wildly inappropriate for a journalist to report on a country she believes is ‘illegal’ and shouldn’t exist” — sharing a screenshot of a November 2013 post from Mahfouz.
“Israel IS a COLONIAL, ILLEGAL (according to international law), state. It’s not a point of view. It’s a fact,” the post read.
Call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s wildly inappropriate for a journalist to report on a country she believes is “illegal” and shouldn’t exist pic.twitter.com/N5kATMy5WK
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) March 11, 2025
In another post, which was translated from Arabic, Mahfouz wrote that even though she doesn’t necessarily “like Hamas’ social repression of Palestinians,” she will still support them — stating that she will “always and forever support the resistance as long as it is against the Zionist entity.”
While she does concede that she “[doesn’t] like Hamas’ social repression of Palestinians,” she finds it in herself to still “always and forever support the resistance as long as it is against the Zionist entity."
Wow, how sweet. pic.twitter.com/6TjR88oEqq
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) March 11, 2025
“I am always and forever with the resistance! And with Hamas and Hezbollah too, as long as their weapons are against Israel and not Arabs like them … with Israel itself if it is fighting against Israel!” another translated post read.
She similarly posted that “I am always and forever with the resistance! And with Hamas and Hezbollah too, as long as their weapons are against Israel….” pic.twitter.com/BG1lqqeguW
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) March 11, 2025
In a statement to The Daily Wire, a Washington Post spokesperson stated that the outlet is aware of Mahfouz’s alleged posts and is currently investigating the matter. Mahfouz has since locked down her X account.
