What Did You Say?

CBS Edits Huckabee Israel Interview — The Truth They Cut Out

By Jimmy Parker | August 11, 2025

Read more at https://pagetraveler.com/cbs-edits-huckabee-israel-interview-the-truth-they-cut-out/

On August 7, 2025, CBS News aired a four-minute interview between correspondent Debora Patta and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. What viewers saw was a diplomat appearing defensive and dismissive on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. What they didn’t see were entire sections of the conversation that dismantled Hamas propaganda, exposed massive aid theft, and debunked false reports. Those parts were cut, and the edits all tilted in the same direction—away from Israel’s defense and toward Hamas’s narrative.

How CBS Framed the “Starving Children” Question

CBS aired Patta asking Huckabee about images of starving children, with him responding that people in Gaza are suffering because Hamas has blocked food from reaching them. What they removed was his insistence that such images must be verified, along with examples of false or recycled photos used in media reports—including one from Yemen, one from 2017, and another staged scene. Stripped of that context, his answer looked like a brush-off instead of a demand for factual accuracy.

The $500 Million Hamas Food Theft Story That Vanished

During the interview, Huckabee explained that Hamas made half a billion dollars in 2024 by stealing humanitarian food shipments, selling them on the black market, and inflating prices to starving civilians. He relayed reports from aid recipients who, for the first time, didn’t have to pay Hamas for food. This section never made it to air, eliminating one of the most damaging accusations against Hamas’s leadership.

The Hoax That Made Headlines Worldwide

CBS also cut Huckabee’s account of a false report claiming 27 people were killed at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site. He said video footage showed no one was injured, yet major outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, and CNN all ran the story before quietly issuing small corrections. Without this example, CBS left viewers thinking his skepticism about casualty numbers was unfounded.

Trimming the Genocide Rebuttal

In the aired version, Huckabee was shown saying that if Israel were attempting genocide, they were “really, really bad at it” and could have done it on October 8. Missing was his full argument: that Israel has the capability to destroy Gaza in days but has not done so, making the genocide claim absurd on its face. Cutting that portion removed the logic behind his position, leaving only a quip.

Erasing His View on Hamas Negotiations

The CBS segment did not include the start of the interview, where Huckabee dismissed the idea of further negotiations with Hamas, calling them unserious and brutal. He described their history of murdering their own people and continuing to torture hostages. Omitting this removed his broader point about why Hamas control in Gaza must end for any lasting stability.

Ending on CBS’s Rebuttal, Not Huckabee’s Question

In one of the most telling moments, Huckabee asked critics of Israel, “How many countries who are in the middle of a war are expected to feed the enemies who murdered their people?” Instead of airing his follow-up or letting the question resonate, CBS immediately cut to Patta invoking Article 55 of the Geneva Convention, declaring that Israel, as an occupying force, must provide food and medical supplies. This framing gave CBS the last word and left viewers with the impression that Huckabee’s point was legally and morally invalid without giving him a chance to respond.

Why These Edits Matter

Every cut in this interview weakened the case against Hamas and softened the reality of their crimes. CBS’s version downplayed Hamas’s exploitation of civilians, ignored documented instances of misinformation, and stripped away Israel’s moral defense. This wasn’t neutral editing for time—it was selective editing to fit an anti-Israel narrative.

The Larger Impact on Public Opinion

When mainstream outlets shape interviews this way, they do more than misrepresent a single official. They distort the public’s understanding of a war, influence international opinion, and embolden terrorist organizations by shielding them from scrutiny. In a conflict where propaganda is as powerful as rockets, these editorial decisions have real-world consequences.

The Full Transcript Tells a Different Story

Huckabee was right to release the full transcript. Anyone reading it will see that his remarks were detailed, evidence-based, and supported by real examples. The contrast with CBS’s broadcast is stark and should concern anyone who values honest journalism, regardless of political affiliation.

Closing Thoughts

Selective editing isn’t just a bad habit—it’s an act of narrative control. In this case, it protected Hamas from public accountability and undermined an American ally. Viewers deserve the full truth, not a version filtered to fit a political agenda.