The Perilous Life of Journalists in Gaza
Hossam Shabat, a journalist based in northern Gaza, recently described his existence as feeling hunted. This chilling sentiment arose just days after the Israeli military made grave accusations against him and five other Al Jazeera journalists, alleging that they were affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. These claims, which the network has vehemently condemned as “baseless,” have placed a dangerous target on the backs of these reporters amid a brutal Israeli offensive in northern Gaza.
Throughout the past month, this small group of journalists has played a crucial role in documenting the unfolding humanitarian crisis. The United Nations human rights chief has characterized the situation as potentially involving “crimes against humanity.” According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (C.P.J.), at least 129 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed since the onset of the conflict last year. The Gaza media office reports an even higher number, estimating the fatalities at 188. This marks the deadliest year for journalists since the C.P.J. began tracking such incidents in 1992.
In a staggering revelation, the C.P.J. noted that in the first ten weeks of the war, more journalists were killed than in any other country during an entire year. The organization has determined that five journalists who lost their lives—one of whom was in Lebanon—were “directly targeted” by Israeli forces. Furthermore, an investigation into over 20 additional cases is currently underway. Despite this alarming trend, the Israel Defense Forces have repeatedly denied targeting journalists.
The unprecedented number of journalist casualties has elicited a muted response from Israel’s key ally, the United States. The Biden administration possesses significant tools to foster accountability for these tragic killings. It could advocate for independent investigations, enforce the Leahy Law—which prohibits U.S. assistance to foreign military units suspected of human rights abuses—or even impose sanctions, similar to those enacted recently in response to a Georgian law perceived as a threat to press freedoms.
For decades, rights organizations have highlighted a troubling pattern of Israeli impunity concerning the killings of journalists. This, combined with frequent accusations against reporters of being combatants, severely undermines the international community’s capacity to grasp the realities of life in Gaza. The lackluster response from Washington signals to the Israeli military that there will be no repercussions for these actions.
Just two weeks before the allegations surfaced against the six journalists, Mr. Shabat and his colleague, Anas al-Sharif, endured a terrifying experience at the hands of Israeli forces. They reported a harrowing attack where one of their fellow journalists, a cameraman named Fadi al-Wahidi, was shot in the neck while they attempted to escape from a quadcopter that pursued and opened fire on them. After Mr. al-Wahidi was injured, his colleagues began to document the scene. In the footage, he can be seen lying facedown on the pavement, his navy blue press jacket contrasting sharply against his white shirt—an unsettling reminder of the minimal protection it afforded him.
