Opinion: Five Journalists Murdered In Targeted Israeli Attack

Targeted Attack

An Israeli airstrike on Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed five Palestinian journalists on Thursday, December 26.

The journalists were employed by Al-Quds, their names are Fadi Hassouna, Ibrahim al-Sheikh Ali, Mohammed al-Ladah, Faisal Abu al-Qumsan and Ayman al-Jidi.

Al-Jidi was waiting in the press van with the four others while with his wife was giving birth to their first child. Tragically, he was murdered on the same day his son was born.

Before learning of her husband’s death, a video shows Al-Jidi’s wife telling her brother-in-law that she plans to name the baby Abdullah. Since her husband’s martyrdom, she has since named him after his father, Ayman.

Journalism: Punishable By Death

“Palestine is the most dangerous country for journalists, recording a higher death toll than any other country over the past five years,” a Reporters Without Borders (RSF) annual report found.

The report went on to state that in total, “more than 145 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023, with 35 of them working at the time of their deaths.” RSF only records journalist deaths in its report if it is proven that the journalist was slain in relation to their professional activity.

RSF has filed four complaints with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed against journalists by the Israeli army.

Director General of RSF, Thibaut Bruttin, says “Journalists do not die, they are killed; they are not in prison, regimes lock them up; they do not disappear, they are kidnapped. These crimes — often orchestrated by governments and armed groups with total impunity —  violate international law and too often go unpunished. We need to get things moving, to remind ourselves as citizens that journalists are dying for us, to keep us informed. We must continue to count, name, condemn, investigate, and ensure that justice is served. Fatalism should never win. Protecting those who inform us is protecting the truth.”

The Most “Moral” Army

Naming themselves judge, jury and executioner, the Israeli Army indiscriminately fires upon journalists, peacekeepers and civilians. Killing civilians like they do is a war crime, violation of international law and a crime against humanity. What other countries are allowed to continuously act in such a manner with no repercussions?

Israel refers to Palestinian journalists as “combat propagandists” without any proof. Time and again, Israel’s labeling of journalists relies heavily on tools of propaganda that everyone is guilty of something. This recent killing is just another example of the countless crimes committed against innocents.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for crimes against humanity against Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the former Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant. Though, no real actions have been taken to stop Israel’s ongoing genocide and violations of international law. Yoav Gallant visited Washington, D.C. in early December 2024. He was not met with handcuffs but rather an invitation to the White House to meet with Biden officials.