Ms. Rachel Faces Scrutiny Over Past Video and Gaza Activism
Children’s YouTube star Ms. Rachel, known by her real name Rachel Griffin Accurso, has come under renewed scrutiny. A video from 2025 of her referring to Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza as her “friend” has resurfaced. This follows Azaiza’s admission of withholding footage of Israeli hostages being beaten in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Resurfaced Video
The video shows Ms. Rachel introducing Azaiza to her audience while teaching the letter “M.” It was originally shared on Instagram and later removed according to reports from July 2025. In the brief clip, Azaiza appears and greets Ms. Rachel.
Azaiza’s Actions on October 7
Azaiza admitted in an interview on the “Taqarrab” podcast that he filmed Israeli captives being assaulted in Gaza but chose not to publish the footage. He wanted to avoid putting Palestinians at risk. Azaiza said he believed publishing the video could lead to Israeli authorities identifying and targeting those involved.
“I understood that Israel would use those videos to identify every person who was there and eliminate them,” Azaiza explained.
Criticism of Azaiza
While Azaiza supports armed Palestinian resistance, he criticized Hamas and the challenges journalists face in Gaza. Despite his actions, he questioned why Palestinians are devalued by their resistance efforts.
Rabbi Yaakov Menken from the Coalition for Jewish Values questioned Azaiza’s journalistic judgment. Menken highlighted Azaiza withheld the footage, not to protect the victims, but to shield perpetrators from Israeli repercussions.
Ms. Rachel’s Activism
Ms. Rachel has become more vocal about Gaza, accusing celebrities of using double standards for Palestinian children. She argued that silence might be due to racial bias.
Elizabeth Barcohana, Jewish engagement chair for the California Republican Party, criticized Ms. Rachel’s activism. Barcohana claimed Ms. Rachel spreads misleading information, potentially manipulating her audience.
Fox News sought Ms. Rachel for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Additional reporting by CJ Womack, associate editor at Fox News Digital, with years of experience in political and cultural journalism.