NEW DELHI, Oct 17: In one of the largest casualty of journalists, at least 15 scribes have been killed since the beginning of the Israel – Hamas conflict. Hundreds of journalists, reporters, photographers, and videographers have been at the frontlines to report on the war doing their job in a very difficult situation.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported on Tuesday that at least 15 journalists have so far been killed since the beginning of the conflict last week. CPJ is an independent organization based in New York dedicated to defending press freedom and the rights of journalists globally.
Of the 15 journalists killed, 11 were Palestinian, three were Israeli and one was Lebanese. In addition, 8 journalists have been reported injured and 3 reported missing or detained. The organization is also currently investigating more than 100 reports of additional journalists being “killed, missing, detained, or threatened.” The CPJ also released the names of the 15 journalists killed so far.
“Journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties. Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heart-breaking conflict. All parties must take steps to ensure their safety,” Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said in a statement.
The CPJ statement added that journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict in the face of a ground assault by Israeli troops, airstrikes, disrupted communications, and extensive power outages.
Last Friday, a Reuter video journalist was killed and six other journalists were injured in southern Lebanon when missiles fired from the direction of Israel struck them. The group of journalists, including from Al Jazeera and Agence France-Presse, were working near Alma al-Shaab, close to the Israel border, where the Israeli military and Lebanese militia Hezbollah have been trading fire in border clashes.
Israel’s U.N. envoy, Gilad Erdan, said in a briefing on Friday, “Obviously, we would never want to hit or kill or shoot any journalist that is doing its job. But you know, we’re in a state of war, things might happen.” He added that the country would investigate. Since the war began, more than 4,000 people have been killed on either side.
(Manas Dasgupta)