Palestinian journalists say the Israeli army is 'deliberately killing' them

Since the start of its attack on Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip five days ago, the Israeli army is "deliberately" targetting Palestinian journalists who still live in the north area of ​​the coastal enclave to document events and convey them to the world.

On Wednesday, the Israeli army killed Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Tanani and wounded his colleague Tamer Lubbad, both of whom work for Al-Aqsa TV, which Israel accuses of being affiliated with Hamas.

Later, an Israeli sniper shot Al Jazeera cameraman Fadi al-Wahidi, seriously wounding him, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza.

Currently, the city and refugee camp of Jabalia in northern Gaza is under a severe siege and indiscriminate attacks by the Israeli army. The Israeli army is preventing the entry of any food, water or medicine, while also besieging several hospitals in the north and launching raids near them.

Journalists risk their lives to document crimes

As soon as the Israeli vehicles entered into Jabalia, local journalists, most of whom work as freelancers, rushed to document Israel's crimes and transmit them to the world via local and international media outlets.

"Despite the dangerous situation, we have to take matters into our hands to focus and make flash on all the Israeli crimes against our people," one of the Jabalia-based journalists, who preferred to mention his name, spoke to TNA.

The journalist is one among many present in the same location which recounted how the Israeli army opened direct fire on al-Tanani, Lubbad, al-Wahidi and "all journalists in an attempt to kill them all and prevent them from covering the crimes against civilians in Jabalia."

"We [journalist] know that we are in the army's line of fire and that it may target us directly to cover up the truth and prevent them from documenting the crimes, but we insist on continuing their work despite the danger," the journalist said.

"We are resisting the Israeli army with our camera lenses and our voices to shed light on what is happening here in northern Gaza in terms of killing, destruction, starvation, siege, and crimes against humanity," another journalist remarked to TNA, who also preferred to not be named out of fears that Israel will kill him.

"We have become the primary target of the Israeli army, which wants to kill everything Palestinian in all the governorates of the Gaza Strip, not just the northern areas," he added.

One photojournalist, moves from one place to another in an attempt to never stop documenting the killing of Palestinian civilians by Israeli snipers.  "I often cry from the intensity of the horrific scenes I photograph because I am unable to save the victims [...] and at other times, I am forced to abandon the camera to transport some of the injured if I can," he described. 

Since the start of the Israeli genocidal war last October, the Israeli authorities prevented any foreign journalists from legally entering the Gaza Strip to cover the events there.

With this cover, the Israeli army has a lot of sway to commit crimes of extermination, destruction, arrest, displacement, starvation and forcible eviction.

This is why Palestinian journalists decided to take matters into their own hands and cover what is happening, even if they expose themselves and their families to danger and death by Israeli forces

In an attempt by journalists to protect themselves on the ground, all journalists have worn press vests. But, as a Palestinian journalist, who preferred to remain anonymous for security concerns, noted to TNA, "This vest was supposed to identify us and protect us under international law and the Geneva Conventions. Now it has become a threat to us."

The journalist asserted that the Israeli army had targeted him more than once while he was documenting crimes against civilians, while the army killed his colleague in front of his eyes.

"The world sees the systematic killings of all of us [journalists and civilians] and has not moved to pressure Israel to stop its crimes," he said. "What worries me most is that this has not caused a scandal around the world. I do not hear the voices of different governments complaining about it."

The army has killed 176 journalists so far

Over the past year of war, the Israeli army killed 176 Palestinian journalists and arrested 36 journalists during the war, 4 of whom were released, while 32 are still in prison, according to the government media office in Gaza.

For its part, the Committee to Protect Journalists noted in its latest report that the Israel army killed at least 128 journalists.

"These numbers show the extent of the danger facing journalists, as they are being systematically targeted, and reflect the occupation's policy aimed at silencing free voices," Ismail Thawabta, the head of the government media office, told TNA.

"The attacks on journalists in Gaza reflect a series of complex political dimensions, as the attacks go beyond being on individuals, and are part of a policy of suppressing freedom of expression," he added.

He stressed that journalists play a vital role in conveying the truth, as the media in Gaza is an essential in documenting and revealing the facts, which contributes to raising awareness among the local and international community about what is happening through reliable reports.

"If 176 Israeli journalists were killed elsewhere, I do not think the world's reaction would silence, but when we talk about a Palestinian journalist, unfortunately everyone is silent," Shorouk Asaad, a member of the Syndicate's General Secretariat, remarked to TNA.