Conflict over communication
Israeli Army Accused of War Crimes Against Journalists in Gaza
The Israeli military's repeated accusations against journalists in Gaza, including the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, have come under scrutiny for potential war crimes.
Anas Al-Sharif, one of the last correspondents reporting from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, was killed in what was reported as a targeted Israeli strike. The Israeli military accused him of heading a Hamas cell and assisting rocket attacks. Al Jazeera and human rights organizations have strongly condemned these killings, describing them as deliberate and systematic attacks on journalists that amount to war crimes under international law.
The Israeli army has also accused many other journalists of cooperating with or sympathizing with Hamas. Among the deceased were Mohammad Qreiqeh and Anas Al-Sharif, a well-known journalist throughout the Arab world. The Israeli army press office sent uncommented Excel spreadsheets and documents in the case of Anas Al-Shaer, supposedly proving his affiliation with Hamas. However, Abu Bakr, speaking in Ramallah, questioned the validity of the evidence, stating that it wouldn't hold up in any court.
The Israeli army's actions against journalists have been criticized as attempts to justify the killings and suppress coverage of Israel's actions in Gaza. Anas Al-Sharif himself stated that the accusations of him working for Hamas are not just a smear campaign to destroy his reputation, but a direct threat to his life. Sara Qudah, CPJ director, called for international protection of Anas Al-Sharif, citing increasing threats against him.
The United Nations described the attack on the unarmed journalists as a flagrant violation of international law. The journalists were in a tent at the entrance to the Al-Shifa hospital when the rocket was fired by a drone that had been circling the area. This brings the number of journalists killed by the Israeli army since October 7, 2023 to 242, with six of them being Al Jazeera journalists.
Many Palestinians have left the area declared a no-go zone by the army, where the far-right settler movement plans to start building Jewish settlements soon. Abu Bakr expressed concern over the common photos of journalists and Hamas officials, suggesting they are not a reason to kill a journalist in cold blood.
The Israeli army's actions against journalists have led to calls for investigations into potential war crimes. The killings of Anas Al-Sharif and other journalists in Gaza have raised concerns about freedom of the press and the safety of journalists in conflict zones.
- The debated Israeli army actions against journalists in Gaza, classified under war-and-conflicts and general-news, are being scrutinized for potential war crimes, as evidenced by the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and the subsequent accusations.
- The politics of the Israeli-Gaza conflict have been highlighted in the killing of Anas Al-Sharif and the accusations leveled against him by the Israeli army, along with other journalists, which falls under crime-and-justice, particularly due to allegations of his cooperation with Hamas.
