End the Killings: Al Jazeera demands protection for journalists in Gaza

Al Jazeera Media Network stands witness to the unprecedented, deliberate, and systematic targeting of journalists in Gaza and the region. As the Israeli Occupation Forces carry out their crimes, journalists continue to document a genocide that the world must witness. As a result, they have and continue to face grievous threats and paid the ultimate price in the line of duty.

Over the past year, the war on Gaza has resulted in a devastating toll on journalism. Since the outbreak of the war, the Israeli Occupation Forces have methodically targeted and killed over 170 journalists, among whom are three Al Jazeera journalists: Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza Al Dahdouh, Ismail Al Ghoul, along with many of their family members. These systematic attacks extend beyond individual tragedies; they constitute a calculated campaign to silence those who dare to document the realities of war and devastation and a direct assault on the fundamental right to information.

Al Jazeera Media Network continues to steadfastly report from Gaza. As the sole international media network present in Gaza, Al Jazeera has become the eyes and ears of a global audience witnessing the dire consequences of the war on the civilian population. The prohibition of international journalists from entering the war zone has curtailed the global understanding of the true cost of the war and its impact; making the Network's role even more critical in providing essential coverage.

The Israeli Occupation Forces have continued to systematically target journalists and media infrastructure. They have bombed our offices in Gaza, assassinated the veteran Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and forcefully closed our offices in Jerusalem and Ramallah, under spurious allegations of “incitement to and support for terrorism”. These charges ironically utilise a law dating back to the British mandate of Palestine in 1945. These actions prevent any reporting and create an information blackout on military operations in the occupied West Bank; depriving the world of objective and in-depth coverage.

The accusations of terrorism against Al Jazeera journalists are both deplorable and unconscionable. 

The Network’s sole mission has been its unyielding commitment to unveiling the harrowing impact of this war on innocent lives. The brutal assassination and targeting of journalists underscore the urgent necessity for immediate legal action against the Israeli Occupation Forces for their heinous crimes.

Al Jazeera Media Network condemns in the strongest terms and demands an immediate end to the targeted killings and continuous harassment of journalists by the Israeli Occupation Forces. The Network urges world leaders, legal bodies, and the international community to take immediate, decisive actions to hold the Israeli authorities and occupation forces accountable. There must be no impunity for those who systematically target journalists.

Al Jazeera demands immediate legal reforms and protections to safeguard journalists and ensure they can continue to perform their critical roles. Israel must permit free operation of all media networks, including Al Jazeera, and ensure that all journalists can safely report from Gaza and occupied territories.

The Israeli government’s actions impede press freedom and pose a direct threat to global security and peace by creating an information blackout. 

The precedent being set in Gaza threatens the very foundation of press freedom worldwide. Continued silence and inaction today will contribute to normalising the deliberate targeting of journalists and undermining the very foundations of press freedom and international law.

Al Jazeera remains unwavering in its commitment to pursue all available legal avenues to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes. It remains committed to its mission and stands in solidarity with journalists in Gaza and worldwide. The determination to continue reporting and uncovering the truths despite these challenges is stronger than ever.

The time for action is now. Journalists’ role in pursuing truth and justice and maintaining global peace is being threatened. The international community must act decisively to protect journalists and ensure that such crimes do not remain unpunished.