Ms Rachel calls Gaza journalist ‘friend’ in resurfaced clip after he admits hiding Oct 7 hostage footage

Children's YouTube star Ms.

Rachel faced renewed scrutiny on Sunday after a 2025 video of her calling Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza her "friend," resurfaced, days after Azaiza admitted he deliberately withheld footage of Israeli hostages being beaten by a crowd in Gaza on Oct.

7, 2023.

The short video appears to show Ms.

Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, introducing Azaiza to her young audience while teaching the letter "M." "Hi, yes, it’s M, for my friend, Motaz.

Yay! Bye!" Accurso said.

MS RACHEL CONFRONTED ON ACCUSING ISRAEL OF 'GENOCIDE' IN PARK INTERACTION WITH PODCASTER The video was originally shared on Instagram and later removed, according to reporting from July 2025 .

Azaiza, who amassed millions of social media followers documenting the war in Gaza, appeared briefly in the clip and greeted Ms.

Rachel.

The video also took on new significance after Azaiza described earlier this month what he witnessed during the Hamas-led Oct.

7, 2023, terrorist attack in an extensive interview with journalist Ahmed al-Biqawi on the Arabic-language "Taqarrab" podcast.

Azaiza said he followed a vehicle carrying Israeli captives and filmed as members of a crowd assaulted them.

Azaiza said he didn't publish the video, however, as he feared it could put the Palestinians involved at risk.

"I saw the vehicle of the Al-Qassam Brigades, and there were Israeli captives there," Azaiza said.