Palestinian Journalists
A Palestinian journalists group has issued a new report, revealing grim statistics related to the recent Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
The Freedom Committee affiliated with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate revealed that a total of 11 Palestinian journalists have lost their lives due to Israeli airstrikes since October 7.
The report provides substantial evidence of the deliberate targeting of journalists from the onset of the conflict in Gaza until the evening of October 15. It strongly condemns the increasing violence against Palestinian journalists.
Furthermore, the report highlights that over 20 journalists have sustained injuries, with the most severe cases occurring in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military escalated its actions by directly targeting the residences of several journalists after the announcement of the complete or partial destruction of around 20 homes owned by journalists.
This resulted in injuries and the tragic loss of family members.
The extensive damage caused by the shelling also includes the destruction of approximately 50 media headquarters and institutions. Among the affected organizations are Al-Aqsa Media Network, Ma’an News Agency, Al-Quds newspaper, Baladna Radio, Zaman Radio, Al-Quran Radio, the Al-Jazeera Network office, Palestine TV, and the AFP offices, as documented in the report.
The report extends its coverage to the occupied West Bank, where it records several instances of Palestinian journalists being injured. It details various forms of assault, detention, interference with news coverage, shootings directed at journalists, and the confiscation and destruction of journalists’ equipment by Israeli forces.
The report further notes the interference with media broadcasts, including the cessation of transmissions by the Al-Aqsa channel via the Eutelsat satellite due to pressure from the Israeli occupation.
Additionally, the report highlights the existence of direct threats to many journalists and campaigns of incitement by Israeli social media pages. These campaigns often call for the elimination of journalists, branding them as saboteurs and terrorists.
Meanwhile, BBC said that two journalists and their BBC Arabic team, covering the Israeli attack, were subjected to assault by the police in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Muhannad Tutunji, Haitham Abudiab, and their BBC Arabic team were on their way to a hotel when their vehicle was intercepted. They were forcibly removed from the car, which was clearly marked with red tape indicating it as a “TV” vehicle. Israelis subjected the vehicle to a search and pushed journalists against a wall.
A spokesperson for the BBC emphasized that journalists “must have the freedom to report on the Israel-Gaza conflict.”
Tutunji and Abudiab presented their press identification cards to the police, identifying themselves as BBC journalists. Tutunji reported that as he attempted to record the incident, his phone was forcefully thrown to the ground, and he was struck in the neck.
