Al Jazeera condemns Israeli accusations towards its journalists in Gaza and warns against being a justification for targeting them
Al Jazeera Media Network vehemently condemns the recent unfounded allegations made by Israeli occupation forces against its journalists operating in northern Gaza. The Network views these fabricated accusations as a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide.
These baseless claims follow Al Jazeera's recent exposé of potential war crimes committed by Israeli forces during the ongoing war on Gaza. These journalists have been steadfastly reporting from northern Gaza, with Al Jazeera being the sole international media presence documenting the unfolding humanitarian crisis resulting from Israel's siege and bombardment of civilian populations.
Al Jazeera categorically rejects the Israeli occupation forces' portrayal of our journalists as terrorists and denounces their use of fabricated evidence. The Network asserts that its journalists are merely fulfilling their professional duties, documenting and reporting on the devastating impact of the war on the Strip’s two million civilians.
The Network sees these accusations as part of a wider pattern of hostility towards Al Jazeera, stemming from its unwavering commitment to broadcasting the unvarnished truth about the situation in Gaza and elsewhere. Al Jazeera fear these allegations may serve as a pretext for further violence against the journalists, mirroring the tragic fates of other media professionals targeted and killed by Israeli occupation forces.
Over the past two years, Israeli forces have targeted and killed several Al Jazeera journalists in both the West Bank and Gaza. These include Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist killed in 2022, as well as Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza Al Dahdouh, and Ismail Al Ghoul in the past year. Some of these journalists were accused based on unfounded allegations or fabricated evidence after their deaths. Al Jazeera has brought these cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, seeking justice for its employees.
It is worth noting that, according to internationally renowned press freedom organisations, Israeli forces have killed over 100 journalists and media workers in the past year alone in an attempt to silence the messenger.
Al Jazeera calls on the international community to act with the utmost urgency to protect these journalists' lives and to put an end to Israeli crimes against media professionals. The Network reaffirms its commitment to delivering accurate, impartial reporting from conflict zones, despite the grave risks and baseless accusations faced by its journalists.
Al Jazeera stands firm in its belief that journalism is not a crime, and we will continue to bring the truth to light, no matter what obstacles or threats we face.
