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Gaza: Israel Continues Targeting Truth Witnesses

Gaza: Israel Continues Targeting Truth Witnesses

Five Palestinian journalists were tragically killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, sparking widespread condemnation.

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) denounced the attack, stating that the bombing of the clearly marked TV broadcast vehicle outside Al-Awda Hospital aligns with Israel's systematic effort to silence witnesses and obstruct the reporting on the devastating consequences of its genocidal actions, while denying the world access to accurate information.

Among the victims was Ayman Al-Jadi, who tragically lost his life while eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate confirmed that Ayman was killed along with his colleagues while working in a broadcast vehicle. The Quds Channel identified the fallen journalists as Faisal Abu Al-Qumsan, Ayman Al-Jadi, Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Ali, Fadi Hassouna, and Mohammed Al-Lad’ah.

WJWC has condemned the attack, highlighting visual evidence that clearly shows the intentional targeting of journalists. The vehicle was distinctly marked as a TV broadcast vehicle, prominently displaying the word "PRESS." This incident represents the eleventh killing of a journalist in the Gaza Strip in just one month, reflecting a deeply troubling trend.

The Freedom Forum in Washington previously reported that the number of journalists killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip surpasses the combined total of journalist deaths in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War. This grim statistic has tragically increased from 87 in December 2023 to 201 in December 2024.

In a previous report by Women Journalists Without Chains, the organization’s chairwoman, Tawakkol Karman, expressed her horror at the killing of journalists and their families simply for doing their jobs.

She stated that the targeting of journalists was not an isolated incident or coincidence, but rather a systematic and carefully planned operation. Karman emphasized that this represented a troubling escalation in efforts to silence free voices and obstruct the transmission of truth.

The report, titled "A Year of Tragedy: One Journalist Killed Every Two Days in Gaza," highlighted that the targeting of journalists was intentional. It noted that, in multiple instances, the occupying forces deliberately targeted press crews while they were covering events, despite being informed in advance about the presence of journalists in the area and with clear indications that those present were indeed journalists.

The targeting of journalists in armed conflicts, even with clear evidence of their status as journalists, constitutes a war crime. Israel’s ongoing assault on Palestinian journalists represents a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. The Geneva Conventions, particularly Additional Protocol I (Article 79), mandate the protection of journalists during armed conflict.

Similarly, Article 8 of the International Convention on the Safety and Independence of Journalists and Other Media Professionals underscores the need to safeguard journalists as civilians in such situations, alongside the protections afforded to hospitals and civilian objects.

Women Journalists Without Chains asserts that the impunity enjoyed by Israeli leaders for the killings of journalists has led to a concerning desensitization to these crimes. The targeting of five journalists, regardless of their clear identification as media professionals, is unequivocally a crime.

Attacking a vehicle near a hospital also constitutes a serious violation. The organization emphasizes that the international community's silence regarding Israel's actions challenges the credibility of the global human rights protection system.

Women Journalists Without Chains calls on the international community to exert pressure on the occupying authorities to implement effective measures for the protection of civilians, including journalists, in the Gaza Strip.

 

Furthermore, it urges swift action on the International Court of Justice’s decisions and accountability for those responsible for acts of genocide and violations against journalists, as outlined in Articles 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute.

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