Two journalists, Hamza Al Dahdouh of Al Jazeera and Mustafa Thuraya of Agence France-Presse, were killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle transporting them in southern Gaza last Saturday. A third individual was injured in the strike. Reporters Without Borders has voiced suspicions that the vehicle carrying the journalists was directly hit on purpose. Al-Jazeera informed that Hamza Al Dahdouh was the son of Wael Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement, noting this incident adds to the growing count of journalists and media workers – which stands at 79 as of January 7, 2024 – who have lost their lives due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. CPJ stated to Al-Jazeera, “the continuous killings of journalists and their family members by Israeli army must end.”
A Watchdog at Reporters Without Borders (RSF) asserted that the vehicle was hit by a ‘single rocket’, hinting that the attack was intentional. According to RSF, if the attack was indeed targeted, it would be categorized as another war crime against journalists in Gaza.
Journalists operating in conflict zones are granted protections under international law equivalent to those extended to civilians. In accordance with Article 79 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, journalists have the same rights and protections afforded to civilians during times of international armed conflict, and outside of these periods as well. International law, specifically the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions, protects civilians. The intentional targeting, killing, or torture of civilians and members of the press constitutes a war crime as per the International Criminal Court.
This incident adds to the fraught situation between Israel and Palestine which has seen a renewed strain in recent times. The International Court of Justice recently announced that South Africa has instituted proceedings against Israel with public hearings scheduled for January 11 and 12, 2024 over allegations of genocide as reported by JURIST – News.
Further information on this development can be found in the full report on JURIST – News.