In a further incident that has sparked widespread outrage and international concern, an Israeli airstrike targeted a van parked outside al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on 26 December, killing five journalists affiliated with the Quds Today TV channel.
The strike occurred while the journalists were reportedly waiting for one of their colleagues, whose wife was inside the hospital preparing to give birth.
The van, clearly marked ‘Press’ was destroyed in the airstrike, resulting in the deaths of the following individuals:
Correspondent, Faisal Abu Al Qumsan
Camera operator, Ayman Al Gedi
Photographer and editor, Fadi Hassouna
Editor, Mohammed Al-Ladaa
Producer and fixer, Ibrahim Sheikh Ali
Under international humanitarian law (IHL), journalists covering an armed conflict are generally considered civilians, provided that they are not directly participating in hostilities. As civilians, they enjoy legal protection against attack. Consequently, the deliberate or targeted killing of journalists by a party to a conflict can constitute a war crime under the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Israeli forces killed nine Palestinian journalists in Gaza between December 14 and 26, prompting the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to renew its calls for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its attacks on the media.
Five of the journalists, who worked for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV (also referred to as Quds Today TV), a channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group, were killed in the December 26 strike on their vehicle outside Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. Footage from The Associated Press reportedly showed the van had visible press markings.
Claims and Counterclaims
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement asserting that the December 26 strike was aimed at “Islamic Jihad operatives posing as journalists.” According to the IDF, intelligence had confirmed that the individuals in the van were affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a militant group. The IDF also stated they had taken measures to avoid harm to civilians during the operation.
Quds Today TV, believed to receive funding from PIJ, condemned the attack, describing the men as journalists performing their “media and humanitarian duty.” The channel refuted the IDF’s claims, maintaining that the individuals were engaged in legitimate journalistic activities.
Reaction from Press Organizations
CPJ expressed devastation over the deaths, reiterating that journalists are civilians under international law and must always be protected, regardless of the circumstances.
CPJ’s program director in New York, Carlos Martinez de la Serna, stated:
“CPJ denounces Israel’s killing of five journalists working for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV. The Israeli strike on their vehicle, which was clearly marked ‘Press,’ means that at least nine Gazan journalists have been killed in less than two weeks. The international community must act now to protect Palestinian journalists in Gaza and end Israel’s impunity for these killings.”
CPJ also highlighted an alarming statistic: as of December 20, 2024, at least 133 Palestinian journalists had been killed since the onset of the current conflict, making it the deadliest period for journalists on record.
Separately, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) condemned the killings and called for immediate investigations into these deaths.
The IFJ’s statement emphasized: “No story is worth the life of a journalist.”
Broader Context and Timeline of Journalist Casualties
The December 26 strike is part of a larger backdrop of violence in Gaza. Amid escalating military operations following clashes between Israel and various Palestinian factions, journalists find themselves in increasingly perilous conditions.
Since early October 2023, multiple press freedom and human rights organizations have documented a rising number of journalist fatalities, injuries, detentions, and disappearances. CPJ, IFJ, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and others have tallied over 100 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed, as well as journalists of other nationalities, since the war began. In numerous incidents, the journalists were wearing press insignia when they were struck.
Key examples include:
– Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed al-Louh, killed in an Israeli airstrike on central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp on December 15.
– Sanad News Agency editor Mohammed Jaber Al-Qerinawi, killed in an Israeli airstrike on December 14.
– Voice of Al-Aqsa Radio broadcaster Eman El-Shanti, killed with her husband and children in an airstrike on December 11.
This list, compiled and frequently updated by the IFJ and PJS, details each case in which journalists or media workers have been killed. It underscores the extreme risks reporters face while covering the conflict on the ground.
Media Infrastructure Under Fire
Journalists and rights groups have also documented the destruction of media offices and broadcasting headquarters. Meanwhile, international press organizations criticize the lack of independent media access to parts of Gaza. Press freedom groups have urged Israel to lift blockades on journalists seeking to report in conflict zones, emphasizing that a total ban on independent media access in Gaza is “unprecedented in modern times.”
Open Letter to EU Officials
A significant development in the international response came in the form of an open letter, dated August 26, 2024, addressed to Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Executive Vice-President for An Economy that Works for People. Signed by 60 organizations—including journalist associations, human rights groups, and global press freedom entities—this letter demands EU action against the Israeli authorities over “unprecedented killing of journalists and other violations of media freedom.”
The letter specifically calls for:
– Suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement
– EU targeted sanctions against those responsible
– Immediate and unrestricted access to Gaza for independent journalists
– Transparent, independent investigations into suspected violations of international law
– Release of all Palestinian journalists held under administrative detention or without charge
– End to impunity for violence and killings targeting journalists
The complete list of signatories includes major organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and many national journalists’ unions across Europe.
International Response and Calls for Investigation
Human rights organizations and international bodies have called for an independent investigation into the December 26 strike, as well as the broader spate of attacks that have claimed the lives of journalists in Gaza. Critics argue that targeting a vehicle or building visibly marked with “Press” could constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
Others highlight the ongoing challenges to verifying on-the-ground information due to movement restrictions, allegations of censorship, and the overall chaotic environment in Gaza. The IDF’s long-standing pattern of impunity, documented by CPJ and other rights groups, further inflames calls for accountability.
Demands from Press Freedom Advocates
Numerous organizations have repeated a set of urgent demands for the protection of journalists, including:
1. Free Access and Freedom to Report
– Lifting blockades on international, Israeli, and Palestinian journalists from independently accessing Gaza.
– Halting legislation or regulatory measures that curtail media operations.
2. Protection of Journalists’ Lives
– Ceasing indiscriminate and deliberate killings of journalists.
– Guaranteeing journalists’ safety and supplying them with necessary protective equipment.
3. Accountability and Justice
– Conducting swift, transparent, and credible investigations into alleged war crimes and human rights violations.
– Granting international observers and investigative bodies full access to Gaza.
– Bringing perpetrators to justice when violations are found.
Questions Unanswered
While the IDF maintains its position that the December 26 strike was justified, it has not publicly presented concrete evidence linking the killed journalists to militant groups. Media outlets and advocacy organizations, including CPJ and IFJ, continue to document fatalities, share stories of journalists’ families, and demand accountability. The families of the victims mourn their losses while urging the international community to intervene.
The December 26 killing of five journalists outside al-Awda Hospital highlights the grave risks faced by media professionals in conflict zones. This latest strike—one in a series of fatal incidents involving members of the press—has intensified global scrutiny of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and further inflamed calls for international oversight.
As violence persists, the global community monitors the situation closely, calling for transparency, accountability, and adherence to international law. With each new incident, the demands for independent investigations and protections for journalists grow louder. Whether such demands will translate into concrete measures remains uncertain, but press freedom advocates insist that a thorough and impartial inquiry is crucial to preventing further tragedy.
Sources and Quotes
– Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement on “Islamic Jihad operatives posing as journalists.”
– Quds Today TV condemnation of the attack, describing killed journalists as performing “media and humanitarian duty.”
– Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) statistics and quotes, including statements by Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s Program Director in New York.
– International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemnation and listing of journalists killed, along with calls for investigations.
– Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) statements confirming fatalities, missing journalists, and ongoing concerns about press freedom.
– Open Letter (August 26, 2024) to Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles and Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis signed by 60 organizations, calling for EU action.
– Various media reports, including The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and local Palestinian outlets documenting fatalities and conditions for journalists.
“Media workers in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference.”
— Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary
“CPJ found that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) directly targeted and killed at least five journalists. … Documenting and verifying the details necessary to conclude that targeting has occurred, while access to Gaza is constrained and reporting conditions remain dire, is difficult.”
— CPJ Report
“Many of these journalists were wearing press insignia when killed. The decimation and displacement of Gaza’s press corps has meant that fewer local journalists are left to report on the hostilities in Gaza.”
— Open Letter to EU Officials, co-signed by 60 organizations
This story remains developing, with press and human rights organizations continuing to press for evidence from Israeli authorities, access to impacted areas in Gaza, and the preservation of journalists’ rights. The world watches, awaiting further disclosures and investigations into the killings of journalists in this ongoing conflict.
Israel has slaughtered at least 45,000 mainly civilian women and children in Gaza over the past 14 months in a genocidal campaign to clear the Gaza strip of Palestinians, in contravention of all international law and has attacked neighbouring countries in the region, killing thousands more.
