Israeli Killing of Al Jazeera Journalists in Gaza Draws Condemnation
Al Jazeera called the killings a “desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza”.
The Israeli regime’s military claimed responsibility for the targeted attack on Sunday, which killed correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal.
The Committee to Protect Journalists is calling for accountability and the National Press Club urged an inquiry and the Freedom of the Press Foundation appealed for action to halt further attacks on the media.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement that is appalled to learn of the killing Sunday of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, and an unnamed assistant by Israeli forces in Gaza.
The journalists were killed in an attack on a tent used by media near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during an Israeli bombardment, according to Al Jazeera, it said.
In a statement announcing the killing of Al-Sharif, Israel’s military accused the journalist of heading a Hamas cell and of “advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and [Israeli] troops.” Israel has a longstanding, documented pattern of accusing journalists of being terrorists without providing any credible proof.
“Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable.”
Al-Sharif had been one of Al Jazeera’s best-known reporters in Gaza since the start of the war and one of several journalists whom Israel had previously alleged were members of Hamas without providing evidence. Most recently, Al-Sharif had reported on the starvation that he and his colleagues were experiencing because of Israel’s refusal to allow sufficient food aid into Gaza.
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Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 61,430 people and wounded more than 153,000 Palestinians.
Source: Agencies
