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Qatari Center for Journalism Condemns the Assassination of 3 Journalists in Gaza

The Qatari Center for Journalism strongly condemns the assassination of three Palestinian journalists by Israel in an airstrike that targeted a humanitarian team in the town of Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza.

The center affirms that the Israeli occupation continues its war crimes against journalists in Gaza by bombing their positions in an attempt to silence the free media and prevent them from conveying the truth to the world, in a blatant violation of international law.

The center calls on the international community, UN organizations, human rights groups, and media organizations to condemn the targeting of journalists in Gaza and to take urgent action to hold the Israeli occupation accountable in international courts for its war crimes against journalists and media personnel.

The center also urges the international community to pressure Israel to release the journalists detained in Israeli prisons, who are suffering from harsh conditions that deny them even the most basic rights of prisoners as stipulated by international laws and conventions.

A Brutal Massacre

The Palestinian Center for the Protection of Journalists confirmed that the martyr journalists were documenting humanitarian relief efforts for those affected by Israel’s genocidal war.

It explained that this attack is part of a systematic policy aimed at obstructing the flow of information and preventing the international community from understanding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for an urgent international investigation and accountability for those responsible for the crime.

According to a statement from Gaza's Ministry of Health, the initial toll from the Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahia resulted in the martyrdom of 9 Palestinians, including 3 journalists, with others injured, some in critical condition.

Ismail al-Thawabitah, Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, said that the Israeli army committed a "brutal massacre" in the Beit Lahia area, in which several martyrs, including those working for a charitable organization providing humanitarian assistance at refugee and displacement centers, lost their lives.

Al-Thawabitah called on mediators to intervene immediately and take deterrent measures against Israeli violations in Gaza.

Names of the Martyrs

According to sources, the names of the martyrs who died in the Israeli airstrike are:

Bilal Abu Matar - Journalist

Mohammad Al-Ghafeer - Field Reporter

Mahmoud Al-Saraj - Photographer

Bilal Akila - Photographer

Abu Hazem Sardah - Driver

Abu Suhaib Al-Najjar - Spokesperson

Mahmoud Aslim - Drone Photographer

Mahmoud Al-Bassous - Drone Photographer

A ninth martyr whose identity is yet to be identified.

Since the start of the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, and over the course of 471 days, the occupying army has deliberately targeted journalists, resulting in the martyrdom of 209 journalists, according to official sources.