Eighth Journalist Killed in Gaza: Israel Must Answer for Crimes

August 3, 2014

Two Palestinian journalists were killed while reporting in a market in Gaza yesterday – an appalling incident which means eights journalists have now lost their lives since the Israeli bombardment of the region began nearly one month ago.

According to IFJ affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), the two journalists were killed in Israeli artillery shelling of Shojayah market yesterday evening, while another journalist was seriously injured. They were reporting on an initial shelling of the market when they were caught up in a second bombardment.

Sameh Al-Aryan, 26, who worked for the Al-Aqsa TV Channel, died of the wounds he sustained in the attack, while photojournalist Rami Rayan, 25, who worked for the Palestinian Media Network, was also killed. Photojournalist Hamed Shobaky, who works for the Manara Media Production Company, was severely wounded in the same incident.

A total of 18 civilians and medical workers died and 200 were injured in the Shojayah market shelling.

Yesterday, Wednesday 30 July, Ahed Zaqout, 49, a presenter on Palestine TV sport programmes, was also killed in a bombing attack carried out by an Israeli war jet on the Italian tower in Gaza City. He was killed in his apartment.

“We express our anger and condemnation at the killing of these journalists, the latest victims in this ongoing cycle of intimidation, violence and murder against media workers in Palestine,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

“We send our heartfelt sympathies to their family and friends and we offer our continued support and solidarity to our colleagues in the PJS and all media workers in Gaza as they continue to suffer through this appalling Israeli barrage. Enough is enough: the killing must end now and Israeli must be held accountable for these atrocities.”

The IFJ is writing to Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to remind the organisation of its international obligation to protect journalists. The IFJ and the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) have also agreed to send a joint international mission to Gaza as soon as there is a ceasefire.


For more information contact:
International Federation of Journalists
Phone: 32-2-235 22 08
Website: www.ifj.org