Aljazeera Source The Guardian has published an investigation into the Israeli military conduct that suggests that certain Palestinian journalists are viewed as targets for attack. A senior Israeli official, Olivier Rafowicz, told one of The Guardian’s media partners that there is no difference between working for a media outlet affiliated with Hamas and being a fighter in the Qassam Brigades. He went on to elaborate that there is “no difference between the political and the military wing of Hamas”.
Those statements prompted the Israeli military to release a correction and a retraction, saying that these are not its official standards. A spokesperson reiterated that the Israeli military does not target media personnel: “Rafowicz erred as these comments mischaracterise [the Israeli military’s] targeting policy.” Targeting journalists violates international law. However, human rights experts have pointed to the high death tolls among Palestinian journalists on the ground in Gaza.
More than 108 Palestinian media workers have been killed so far, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. In its investigation, The Guardian found at least 23 members of the Al-Aqsa network, a media channel linked to Hamas, were killed. The Israeli government has banned Al Jazeera from reporting from there, so Hamdah Salhut is in Jordanian capital, Amman for more on this.
As of June 27:
- 108 journalists and media workers were confirmed killed: 103 Palestinian, two Israeli, and three Lebanese.
- 32 journalists were reported injured.
- 2 journalists were reported missing.
- 49 journalists were reported arrested.
- Multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship, and killings of family members.
