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Press and human rights organizations denounced the ongoing violations against journalists in the Gaza Strip after Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Abu Omar and fellow photographer Ahmed Matar were seriously injured after they were targeted by an Israeli drone north of Rafah in the south of the Strip.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the raid, which injured Al Jazeera's correspondent and photographer, "is an example of the personal cost of covering war."
The committee called for an independent investigation into the targeting of journalists and whether it constitutes a war crime.
For his part, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that "press freedom is a basic condition for people to be able to know the truth about what is happening everywhere in the world," expressing his deep concern about the number of journalists killed in Gaza.
On the other hand, a spokesman for the US National Security Council told Al Jazeera that it is important to provide every possible protection to journalists.
The spokesman expressed his wishes for a speedy recovery to Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Abu Omar and fellow photographer Ahmed Matar.
At the same time, Mohammed Ensour, head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the number of civilians and journalists killed in Gaza since October 7 is unprecedented.
Ensour added in an interview with Al Jazeera that the Commission addressed Israel regarding violations against journalists, but it did not respond.
In turn, the government media office in Gaza condemned the occupation forces targeting the Al Jazeera crew for the fifth time.
The office said that the deliberate targeting of colleagues Ismail Abu Omar and Ahmed Matar is “a full-fledged crime and a violation of international law.”
He added that the targeting comes within the framework of intimidating journalists, preventing them from covering the crimes of the occupation, and trying to obscure the truth.
The end of the first surgical operation for #Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Abu Omar, which included an amputation above the right knee and stopping the bleeding in the left foot #News #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/qixg7FVmg2
- Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) February 13, 2024
Al-Jazeera correspondent Moamen Al-Sharafi reported that an Israeli drone fired at least one missile towards the two colleagues in direct targeting, today, Tuesday, which immediately led to the amputation of colleague Ismail Abu Omar’s right leg and the severe injury of his left leg, and he was also injured in various parts of his body. Serious as a result of missile fragments.
The two colleagues underwent surgeries at the European Hospital southeast of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Al Jazeera Media Network denounced the Israeli army's deliberate targeting of its correspondent, Ismail Abu Omar, and fellow photographer, Ahmed Matar.
The network confirmed - in a statement - that this targeting “is a full-fledged crime added to Israel’s crimes against journalists, and a new link in the series of the occupation army’s deliberate targeting of Al Jazeera’s crews and correspondents in Palestine.”
The network renewed its call on the international community, journalists’ defense organizations, and free people of the world to take immediate measures to protect journalists in the Gaza Strip, and to hold the Israeli occupation army accountable.
Source: Al Jazeera