LETTER | War journalists need protection too

LETTER | We express our profound sorrow over the distressing accounts of escalated violence inflicted upon journalists in Gaza, especially targeting Palestinian journalists amidst the ongoing Palestine-Israel conflict.

We strongly denounce all acts of aggression and intimidation directed at journalists fulfilling their crucial roles on the front lines.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the number of casualties continues to rise, with at least 15 journalists among the 4,000 lives lost on both sides since the conflict erupted on Oct 7.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has confirmed that 11 Palestinian journalists were tragically killed in Israeli airstrikes.

On Oct 14, tragedy struck as Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah lost his life in southern Lebanon with six others sustaining injuries due to Israeli artillery fire.

Similarly, AFP photographer Christina Assi was seriously injured in the same incident. On Oct 15, while reporting live from Ashdod city, Al-Araby correspondent Ahmad Darawsheh faced threats and aggression from an Israeli police officer during a live broadcast.

It is unequivocal that targeting journalists and media organisations constitutes a war crime.

Journalists operating in conflict zones must be accorded the same protections as civilians, enabling them to report impartially and without fear of reprisal from any side involved.

These individuals are not combatants and, as such, are entitled to the safeguards outlined in the Geneva Conventions.

Journalists serve as indispensable impartial witnesses, responsibly reporting the truth without being coerced or threatened.

Ensuring their safety and granting them the freedom to report under secure conditions is paramount.

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