The findings of a joint probe by a number of worldwide media shops highlighted Tuesday how Israel’s warfare on Gaza, the place over 100 journalists and media members have to date been killed, dedicated a few of the most flagrant violations of press freedom.
A consortium led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories and involving round 50 journalists from 13 organizations together with AFP, The Guardian and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism group (ARIJ) took half within the four-month investigation.
It regarded into strikes involving journalists and media infrastructure since Israel launched its devastating offensive within the Gaza Strip in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion.
“More than 100 journalists and media workers have been killed,” Forbidden Stories’ Laurent Richard mentioned in an editorial accompanying the Gaza Project’s publication.
“Today’s Gaza journalists have long known that their ‘press’ vests do not protect them,” he wrote.
“Worse still, the protective gear might further expose them.”
Carlos Martinez de la Serna, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, expressed shock on the toll.
“This is one of the most flagrant attacks on press freedom that I remember,” he informed the investigation.
The Israeli navy claims it “does not intentionally harm journalists, and that journalists may have been harmed during airstrikes or operational activities aimed at military targets.”
“Many of the cases mentioned in the report are actually cases of … who were killed during military activity, but reported as journalists,” it alleged.
Identify and defend
The probe discovered that 4 journalists have been allegedly killed or wounded by a drone whereas sporting a press vest.
Fourteen in whole have been killed, wounded, or allegedly focused whereas sporting their protecting gear describing them as a member of the “press.”
At least 40 journalists and media employees have been killed whereas at residence in Gaza, it added.
“Whereas the press vest was supposed to identify and protect us according to international laws … it is now a threat to us,” mentioned Basel Khair al-Din, a Palestinian journalist in Gaza who believes he was focused by a drone strike whereas sporting a press vest.
ARIJ additionally surveyed 239 surviving journalists from June 6 to June 16. More than 200 had been displaced from their houses by the warfare, it discovered.
Seventy-two mentioned that they had misplaced relations. Of these, 11 reported their very own youngsters had been killed.
As a part of the probe, AFP regarded with different media right into a strike on its Gaza bureau on Nov. 2, after its workers had evacuated however whereas it was nonetheless broadcasting a dwell stream of the warfare from a digital camera on its balcony.
They discovered the strike to doubtless have been brought on by an Israeli tank.
The Israeli navy has mentioned the bureau was not focused however injury to it might have been brought on by a “shock wave or shrapnel” from one other assault.
AFP world news director, Phil Chetwynd, has known as for a “very clear and transparent investigation” from the Israeli authorities into the incident.
‘Completely unacceptable’
He additionally mentioned that greater than 100 journalists and media employees having been killed within the Gaza Strip in such a short while was “completely unacceptable.”
“And the thing that worries me most is that it’s not causing a scandal. Around the world I don’t see the voices of the various governments complaining,” he added.
Hamas’ incursion on southern Israel resulted within the deaths of 1,195 folks, based on an AFP tally primarily based on Israeli official figures. They additionally seized hostages, 116 of whom stay in Gaza though the military says 42 are useless.
Israel’s genocidal response has killed not less than 37,626 folks, largely ladies and youngsters, the Gazan Health Ministry says.
Shuruq Asad, a spokeswoman for the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate (PJS), mentioned greater than 70 media workplaces had been bombed for the reason that begin of the warfare and she or he too was shocked by the dearth of worldwide outrage.
“I don’t think this would be the reaction of the world if there was 100 Ukrainian journalists killed,” she mentioned, referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Source: www.dailysabah.com