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Al Jazeera condemns killing of correspondent in Gaza
An Al Jazeera journalist was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City on Wednesday, with the network calling the attack a "deliberate and targeted crime." Mohammed Wishah, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, and another individual died when their vehicle was hit along the coastal road west of Gaza City.
Israeli military claims journalist had Hamas ties
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) alleged that Wishah was a "Hamas terrorist" and posed an immediate threat to its troops. The military stated he was "a key terrorist in Hamas' rocket and weapons production headquarters" who used his journalistic role as cover. As evidence, the IDF cited a February 2024 post from its Arabic spokesman, which included photos purportedly showing Wishah handling weapons, including a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
Both Al Jazeera and Hamas have repeatedly denied any affiliation between Wishah and the armed group. The network reaffirmed its stance in a statement on Wednesday, calling the killing a "flagrant violation of international laws" and vowing to pursue legal action against those responsible.
Witnesses describe attack on vehicle
Eyewitnesses reported that Wishah was traveling in a vehicle with another Palestinian when it was struck by a missile fired from an Israeli drone. Videos circulating online showed the vehicle engulfed in flames following the attack. The IDF confirmed the strike on Thursday, reiterating its claim that Wishah was actively involved in planning attacks against Israeli forces.
Rising toll on journalists in Gaza and Lebanon
Wishah is the 11th Al Jazeera journalist killed since the war in Gaza began. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), more than 220 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza over the past two and a half years, with at least 70 deaths occurring while they were performing their duties. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that two additional journalists were killed in separate Israeli strikes in Lebanon this week: Ghada Dayekh, a presenter for Sawt al-Farah radio, and Suzan Khalil, a reporter for Al-Manar TV, affiliated with Hezbollah.
The CPJ stated that a total of 260 journalists have been killed across the Middle East since the start of the Gaza conflict. Sara Qudah, the CPJ's regional director, condemned the killings as a "systematic failure to uphold the most basic protections owed to civilian journalists under international law."
Broader context of the conflict
The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, where more than 72,310 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. A fragile ceasefire has been in place for six months, though tensions remain high.
International media outlets rely heavily on local journalists in Gaza, as Israel restricts foreign journalists, including those from BBC News, from entering the territory. The CPJ warned that without accountability, attacks on journalists would continue to escalate, emboldening those who seek to silence independent reporting through violence.
