Israeli Army Under Fire for Killing Palestinian Journalists, According to DJV
In Berlin, the Agence France-Presse (AA) spokesman made an appeal on Monday, calling for the warring parties in Gaza to ensure that journalists can work freely and safely. The focus of the statement was the killing of Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif, who was working for the Al Jazeera channel.
Anas al-Sharif, a prominent correspondent, provided critical international news coverage from northern Gaza during the ongoing conflict. His death, along with four other Al Jazeera journalists, has significantly escalated concerns over targeted attacks on journalists in the region.
Israel officially claimed responsibility for the strike, accusing al-Sharif of leading a Hamas military unit advancing rocket attacks. However, journalists and press freedom advocates reject this claim, viewing it as a false justification for targeting journalists.
Press organizations emphasize that deliberately targeting journalists constitutes a war crime under international law. Since the start of the Israeli-Gaza conflict, hundreds of Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces. This pattern of attacks appears aimed at suppressing independent reporting from the region.
The German Journalists' Association condemned these killings, emphasizing the importance of press freedom and the protection of journalists as neutral observers. The association expressed alarm at the escalation of violence against media personnel and demanded accountability.
Even if Anas al-Sharif had been a terrorist, it would not justify the air strike on a journalist tent in Gaza City where the Al Jazeera team was located. The German Journalists' Association views the killing of Palestinian journalists, including Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif, as deliberate attacks on journalists reporting from Gaza, violating press freedom and international law.
The Federal Foreign Office expressed shock at the incident involving the killing of journalists and joined the calls for clarification regarding the killings. The DJV also criticized that international journalists are denied access to the Gaza Strip, making it impossible to independently verify the allegations.
In summary, the condemnation by the German Journalists' Association centers on the principle that journalists should not be targeted, regardless of the conflict context, and that attacks like the killing of Anas al-Sharif undermine free press and constitute serious violations of international standards protecting journalists.
[1] Al Jazeera English. (2021). Israeli air strike kills Al Jazeera journalist in Gaza. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/15/israeli-air-strike-kills-al-jazeera-journalist-in-gaza
[2] The Guardian. (2021). Israeli airstrike kills Al Jazeera journalist in Gaza City. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/15/israeli-airstrike-kills-al-jazeera-journalist-in-gaza-city
[3] Committee to Protect Journalists. (2021). Israel/Gaza: CPJ condemns killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif. Retrieved from https://cpj.org/2021/05/israelgaza-cpj-condemns-killing-of-al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif/
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