Many in Oman, as in other parts of the world, have strongly condemned the ongoing aggression launched by the Israeli occupation forces against the Gaza Strip.
The latest incident involved the deliberate targeting of medical, relief and media personnel at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, in clear violation of international humanitarian law.
As a journalist, I am distressed whenever I hear about such incidents and wonder why journalists are being targeted. However, I assure readers that killing journalists will not kill the story.
This ongoing situation highlights a critical issue regarding press freedom and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
International humanitarian law clearly states that journalists are civilians and should not be targeted during combat. However, Israeli officials often argue that their strikes target legitimate military targets, claiming that Hamas hides within civilian buildings or that some journalists killed were militants, although these claims are often made without independent verifiable evidence.
A recent incident involved five journalists among the 22 people killed in Israeli strikes. This incident included a “double-tap” strike, where an initial strike was followed by a second one as rescuers and other journalists arrived at the scene — a tactic also observed in other conflicts.
To exacerbate the situation, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office issued a statement expressing ‘deep regret’ for the ‘tragic mishap’ and stating that Israel ‘values the work of journalists’.
However, this response is insufficient and there is a need for a clear explanation for the strikes.
The pattern of journalist killings extends beyond recent events, with journalists facing detention, deportation and violence, including fatal shootings dating back to the 2000s.
Notable cases include the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022, when Israeli officials later admitted a ‘high possibility’ of Israeli forces being responsible, though no charges were filed.
Reports indicate that the number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 exceeds those killed in both World Wars, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia and the US war in Afghanistan combined.
Therefore, through this column, I stand with fellow journalists and the public in condemning these actions, demanding accountability and an end to impunity. I emphasise that the deliberate targeting of journalists is a war crime and the international community must take action to ensure independent media access to Gaza and hold Israel to account.
Until next time, I pray for the safety of all journalists around the world.
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