https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/18/israel-gaza-journalist-shot-mohammed-balousha/
Mohammed Balousha described being shot near his home and struggling for help. He was hit a day after Al Jazeera’s Samer Abu Daqqa was killed in a drone strike.
In response, the IDF said it “has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists.”
Ofcourse
Then why does it keep happening?
https://cpj.org/2023/12/journalist-casualties-in-the-israel-gaza-conflict/
"As of December 17:
64 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 57 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese.
13 journalists were reported injured.
3 journalists were reported missing.
19 journalists were reported arrested.
Multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship, and killings of family members."
More on the CPJ:
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/committee-to-protect-journalists/
The IDF is not a regular professional military. There’s a volunteer force, and a massive reservist element who were working in IT, finance, a bakery, etc before being called up. Someone whose life focus is not the military, is not going to be as capable as a professional
Gaza is also a free fire zone atm (reportedly). Hamas & Al-Quds have been doing some WILD* ambushes throughout the fighting, so semi-trained and jumpy troops are going to shoot at movement and shapes instead of discriminating between enemy combatants, civilians, or the hostages they (ostensibly) want to return.
To be clear, the deaths of civilians and reporters is reprehensible - especially as the IDF severely limits credentials for independent foreign reporters whilst pumping out propaganda via IDF press officers.
I vehemently disagree on how they’re conducting this war and the opacity around plans for land, administration, reconstruction of the decimated infrastructure or the fucking civilians for that matter. Gazans need a meaningful future that isn’t apartheid or genocide, and the only talk from the war cabinet is a long war
I blame the IDF for dragging young people into this shitty war. They don't need to be there killing other young people.
It's almost like the journalists are embedded in military units....like they are regularly in other countries
Some spies passing as journalists =/= all journalists are spies.
The journalists Israel kills frequently are well away from military action and clearly dressed in UN Press armour.
I didn't say every journalist and I didn't say only in Gaza. But let's pick a fairly recent top 3:
I'll let you look up the names and find sources. I've already put far more effort into this conversation than you have.
I'd say the fact that the headline explains the journalist in question has a story to their name probably means they were a legit journalist, not a "spy".
It's quite the jump to say ALL murdered journalists must be dressed correctly at all times, or else it's fair to assume they were an enemy combatant. How many legit journalists do you think it's okay to kill?
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Television journalist Mohammed Balousha filmed a report about the communications blackout in Gaza on Saturday afternoon, working near his home in Jabalya in the north.
The risks are gravest for Palestinian reporters based in Gaza, who must keep themselves safe while also dealing with the loss of their homes, families and colleagues.
It accused Israeli forces of preventing rescue workers from reaching Abu Daqqa, who was “left to bleed to death for over 5 hours.”
In late November, Balousha broke the story that four premature babies left behind at al-Nasr Children’s Hospital after Israel forced the staff to evacuate without ambulances had died and their bodies had decomposed.
Shani Sasson, a spokeswoman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), had earlier told The Post that Israeli forces neither directed al-Nasr’s staff to evacuate nor operated inside the facility, but declined to answer whether COGAT or the Israeli military had been told about the babies or taken any action to care for them.
Al Mashhad TV said in a statement that it “holds the Israeli government responsible” for Balousha’s safety and that the agency was trying to evacuate him from Gaza.
The original article contains 782 words, the summary contains 193 words. Saved 75%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!