Former prime minister Naftali Bennett has sharply criticized The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of spreading a 'blood libel' against Israel. The controversy arose after The New York Times added an editors' note to a story about malnourished children in Gaza, clarifying that a widely circulated image of a gaunt child depicted a boy with preexisting health issues.

Bennett argued that the newspaper's coverage fueled global outrage against Israel by not initially disclosing the child's medical background. He further claimed that the publication knowingly contributed to negative perceptions about Israel, despite being aware of the context behind such images.