Killing of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza receives widespread condemnation

Various organisations have condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists and a freelance journalist in Gaza on Sunday in what was reported as a targeted Israeli strike on a tent used by media near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

The five Al Jazeera staff correspondents were Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, and freelance journalist Mohammad al-Khaldi was killed in a nearby tent.

In a statement, Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the targeted assassination of its correspondents and photographers 'by the Israeli occupation forces, in yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom'.

“As Al Jazeera Media Network bids farewell to yet another group of its finest journalists, who boldly and courageously documented the plight of Gaza and its people since the onset of the war, it holds the Israeli occupation forces and government responsible for deliberately targeting and assassinating its journalists,” the network said. 

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) said: “SANEF has, on numerous occasions, unequivocally condemned the brutality of the Israeli military in specifically targeting journalists and systematically denying other international journalists the ability to report live from Gaza. This pattern of behaviour is a grave threat to the public’s right to information.

“SANEF calls upon all relevant international bodies and governments to exert maximum pressure to ensure the immediate cessation of hostilities against journalists, guarantee their safety, and hold accountable those responsible for these heinous crimes. The world relies on journalists to bear witness and report the truth, and their protection must be paramount.”

Southern African Freelancers’ Association (Safrea) chairperson Nathi Gule said: “While we do not comment on the political or military circumstances of any conflict, we strongly condemn the loss of life among members of the media who are working in dangerous environments to inform the public. Journalists should never be targeted, and their safety must be safeguarded at all times,” Gule said. 

He said the killing of media personnel anywhere in the world was unacceptable and undermines the vital role they play in holding truth to power, documenting events, and providing accurate information to the public. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Regional Director Sara Qudah said: “Israel is murdering the messengers. Israel wiped out an entire news crew. It has made no claims that any of the other journalists were terrorists. That’s murder. Plain and simple.

“It is no coincidence that the smears against al-Sharif — who has reported night and day for Al Jazeera since the start of the war — surfaced every time he reported on a major development in the war, most recently the starvation brought about by Israel’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into the territory.” 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned with “force and anger the alleged assassination of Al-Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif by the Israeli army in a targeted strike against a tent shelter near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which killed five other media professionals and injured three others”.

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) general secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “After a smear campaign against Gaza’s journalists, Israel has killed five Al Jazeera staff in a tent housing journalists. The deliberate targeting of journalists is a war crime, and Israeli leaders must be held accountable for their heinous actions. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this deliberate killing of our colleagues and we stand in solidarity with all staff at Al Jazeera and our colleagues working in Gaza under such unacceptable circumstances”.

Bellanger added: “UN Member states must support a binding convention at the UN level. This convention should protect journalists and ensure accountability for the perpetrators of crimes against journalists.” 

Amnesty International Australia’s Occupied Palestinian Territory spokesperson Mohamed Duar said: “We at Amnesty International are devastated and heartbroken. Words cannot capture our grief at the cruelty of deliberately targeting journalists. Anas dedicated his life to standing before the camera, exposing Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians, and documenting the truth so the world could bear witness.” 

“Israel isn’t just assassinating journalists but attacking journalism itself by preventing the documentation of genocide.

“No journalist should ever be targeted or killed simply for carrying out their work. Israel must not be allowed to deliberately attack and kill journalists with impunity. Justice must be served for these brave journalists and their family members.”

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za