The Israeli army sent to Reuters and Agence France Presse O news agencies cannot guarantee the safety of its journalists working on the Fitas strip, which has been exposed to Israeli bombardments and siege for almost three weeks.
Gaza, the Palestinian enclave of the militant group Hamas, has been under bombardment since October 7.
This is what the Ministry of Health says. In Gaza, 7,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks.
This week, the Israeli Defense Forces wrote a letter to Reuters and AFP after asking for guarantees that their journalists in Gaza would not be targeted by Israeli attacks.
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) attacks all Hamas military activities in Gaza,” the IDF letter said, adding that Hamas deliberately places its military operations “in close proximity to journalists and civilians.”
They added that their intensive attacks on Hamas targets could cause damage to surrounding buildings.
“Under these circumstances, we cannot guarantee the safety of your employees and we ask that you take all necessary measures to ensure their safety.”
When asked about the IDF’s accusation that it would launch military operations near locations where journalists are known to be present in the Gaza Strip, Hamas initially did not comment.
Reuters could not verify how many other news organizations operating in Gaza received the same letter, and the IDF had no immediate comment.
Journalists in Gaza
Reuters and AFP said they were deeply concerned about the safety of journalists in Gaza.
“The situation on the ground is desperate and the IDF’s unwillingness to provide guarantees about the safety of our personnel jeopardizes its ability to provide news about this conflict without fear of injury or death,” Reuters responded to the letter to the Israeli army.
Phil Chetwynd, director of AFP Global News, said his news organization received the same letter.
“We are in an incredibly precarious situation and it is important that the world understands that a large team of journalists are working in extremely dangerous conditions,” he said.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 27 journalists have been killed since the war began, most in the Gaza Strip, but also in Israel and southern Lebanon.
According to CPJ’s latest update, 22 Palestinian professionals, four Israelis and one Lebanese, had died as of October 27. (Reuters)
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
