Latest news with #MoatazRajab
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
May: A Grim Month In The Record Of Targeting Journalists In Gaza
The Palestinian Journalists Protection Center (PJPC) has documented the killing of seven Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip during the month of May alone—at a time when the world marks "World Press Freedom Day." This makes May one of the deadliest periods for media workers since the beginning of the war. According to the center's monitoring, the latest journalist killed was Moataz Rajab, a correspondent for Al-Quds Al-Youm channel, who was martyred on May 28 following an "israeli" airstrike that targeted a civilian vehicle on Al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City. This brought the number of journalists killed in May to seven. The center reported that the total number of journalists killed since October 7, 2023, has risen to 221, marking the deadliest wave of journalist killings in modern history. On May 25, the center documented the killing of journalist Hassan Majdi Abu Warda, director of Barq Gaza news agency, in an "israeli" airstrike that hit his home in northern Gaza. The center affirmed that targeting journalists' homes and displacement areas "reflects a systematic pattern of grave violations of international humanitarian law." On May 18, journalist Abdel Rahman Al-Abadleh was killed. He was preceded by journalist Ahmad Al-Helou, a correspondent for Quds Network, and journalist Hassan Sammour, who was killed along with his family in an airstrike on their home east of Khan Younis on May 15. Journalist Hassan Aslih was martyred on May 13 while receiving treatment at Nasser Medical Complex. On May 7, journalists Nour El-Din Abdo and Yahya Sobeih were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes. The center stated that "turning the month of May into a graveyard for journalists in Gaza is further evidence of israel's violation of press freedom and disregard for international law," calling for independent international investigations and accountability for those responsible. The center reiterated that targeting journalists and civilians in conflict zones constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists, warranting legal prosecution and international accountability.
Arab News
5 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Israel kills another journalist in Gaza as global criticism intensifies
LONDON: Israeli forces killed Moataz Mohammed Rajab, a Palestinian photojournalist and video editor for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV, in an airstrike on Gaza City late Wednesday, amid mounting international condemnation of Israel's conduct in the war. According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Rajab was killed while covering Israeli attacks near Al-Nafaq Street, when an airstrike hit a civilian vehicle. He died instantly along with other civilians. The Government Media Office in Gaza condemned what it called the 'systematic targeting and assassination' of Palestinian journalists, accusing Israel of a deliberate campaign against the press. 'This is not random,' the office said in a statement. 'Israel is deliberately assassinating Palestinian journalists.' It urged the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union and global press freedom organizations to move beyond statements and take tangible action. Rajab's death comes amid mounting pressure on Israel to deescalate its assault on Gaza and ease a months-long blockade that has plunged the enclave's 2.3 million residents into a severe humanitarian crisis. Calls for restraint have grown increasingly urgent in recent days. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Israeli actions had taken 'tragic and unacceptable forms,' and urged an immediate end to the bombings and resumption of humanitarian aid. He added that the forced displacement of Palestinians 'is not and never will be an acceptable option.' In one of the strongest public criticisms yet from a close ally, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier this week questioned the justification for continued Israeli airstrikes, calling them 'no longer comprehensible' and suggesting they go beyond the stated aim of defeating Hamas. Observers say the remarks reflect a growing shift in German public opinion. As the war passes the 600-day mark, international calls for a ceasefire are gaining traction. At least 44 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The latest attacks came a day after desperate civilians looted a World Food Programme warehouse in central Gaza, highlighting the deepening humanitarian crisis. Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 54,000 people have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of them civilians, including thousands of children. The toll on journalists has also been staggering. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 181 media workers have been confirmed killed: 173 Palestinian, six Lebanese and two Israeli. The organization said that at least 17 journalists and two media workers were deliberately targeted by Israeli forces in what CPJ classifies as murder. In a report issued Wednesday, CPJ said Israel's blockade and hunger crisis are severely hampering the ability of the press to cover the war, with Gaza's media sector now described as 'dismantled' and 'exhausted.'
