Israel conducts targeted assassination of Al Jazeera staff: Carnage in Gaza City
In a shocking turn of events, Israel has been accused of assassinating Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif and four other staff members in a targeted attack in Gaza City. The attack, which took place on Sunday evening at a media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital, was reportedly carried out by a drone.
The killing has sparked widespread international outrage, with Al Jazeera Media Network publicly condemning the attack as part of a broader campaign of intimidation against its journalists. The UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories also denounced the threats against al-Sharif by the Israeli army.
The victims of the attack were correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal. Al Jazeera and other organizations reject Israel's allegations that the journalists were affiliated with Hamas, calling the accusations baseless and viewing the strikes as attempts to silence journalists.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned Israel’s pattern of accusing journalists without credible evidence and called for respect for press freedom. CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah, stated that Israel's pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom. Qudah added that journalists are civilians and must never be targeted.
This case highlights the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones and ongoing tensions around press freedom in Gaza amid the Israeli military operations. According to rights groups, this is part of an effort to discredit their reporting of Israeli abuses. The network described the attack as occurring amid the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which has resulted in the slaughter of civilians, forced starvation, and the obliteration of entire communities.
The CPJ did not provide any new information about the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza mentioned earlier. However, the organisation stated that those responsible for these killings must be held accountable. Qudah added that the order to assassinate Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues is a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.
In conclusion, the targeted killing of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza City underscores the critical role of the press in conflict zones and the need for respect for press freedom. The international community must hold Israel accountable for these actions and ensure the safety of journalists reporting on the ground.
The assassination of Al Jazeera journalists, including Anas Al Sharif, has been condemned by the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who view the attacks as attempts to silence voices exposing the truth about ongoing conflicts and war-and-conflicts in Gaza. These incidents highlight the dangers faced by journalists in politically charged environments, and the need for crime-and-justice systems to uphold the general-news principle of press freedom.
