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Qatar Press Center condemns Israel's intransigence in allowing journalists to receive treatment

The Qatari Media Center reiterates its strong condemnation of Israel’s ongoing disregard for international laws and conventions that protect the lives of journalists. The Israeli occupation deliberately targets journalists while they are performing their duties, and prevents those injured from receiving appropriate medical treatment, leading to the deterioration of their health and putting them at serious risk of death.

The center emphasizes that the Israeli occupation adopts a deliberate aggressive approach towards press teams, the latest being the targeting of Al Jazeera correspondents Fadi Al-Wahidi and Ali Al-Attar. Al-Wahidi was left permanently paralyzed after being shot in the neck on the 9th of this month while covering events in Jabalia Camp, northern Gaza Strip, after an Israeli occupation aircraft fired on the Al Jazeera team. Al-Attar, on the other hand, was injured by shrapnel to the head on October 7th, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted a site near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza.

Al-Attar was near a site housing tents for displaced persons when the area was bombed by Israeli occupation aircraft, resulting in the injury of several individuals, including children.

Al Jazeera has condemned the Israeli occupation army’s deliberate targeting of its crews, stressing that such targeted attacks on journalists are a blatant violation of international laws that protect journalists in conflict zones.

Organizations including *Reporters Without Borders*, *Free Press Unlimited*, and the *Committee to Protect Journalists* sent a letter to the Israeli authorities urging them to allow the immediate evacuation of two Al Jazeera journalists after their health deteriorated due to deliberate targeting by Israeli forces during their work in Gaza. 

The letter, addressed to the Israeli military authority responsible for overseeing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories (COGAT), warned about the critical condition of journalists Ali Al-Attar and Fadi Al-Wahidi, who suffered serious injuries last week while covering events on the ground. 

The three organizations advocating for journalists' rights stressed the urgent need to "expedite the issuance of the necessary permits" to transfer the injured journalists abroad. They pointed out that "evacuations are stalled due to awaiting the required permits," holding the Israeli government responsible for any deterioration in the journalists' health as a result of this delay.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, Gypsy Kaiser, Director of Campaigns and Communications at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the committee is working to evacuate Al-Attar and Al-Wahidi for medical treatment. She explained that they have yet to receive an Israeli response regarding their evacuation and have been prevented from providing assistance to the two journalists, who were targeted by Israeli occupation forces while carrying out their journalistic work in Gaza.

Kaiser also noted that the committee is in contact with various countries to arrange the transfer of Al-Attar and Al-Wahidi for medical care. Additionally, the committee is documenting violations against Palestinian journalists, emphasizing that journalists are paying a high price but continue to fulfill their duty.