Nuseirat: At least five journalists of Gaza-based Al Quds Today TV channel were killed in an overnight Israeli strike in Nuseirat, according to reports. The channel has claimed these deaths in a statement on Thursday. The slain journalists were killed in a broadcast van. The channel had also shared an image of a damaged vehicle marked “Press.”
The Israel Defense Forces said the air force conducted a strike “on a vehicle with an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell” in Nuseirat, reported the Washington Post. The IDF claimed that they had taken steps to mitigate civilian harm before launching the strike. They had apparently used precise munitions and aerial surveillance to ensure no harm is done to civilians.
According to reports, the Israel-Gaza war had been devastating for journalists, with at least 141 killed, making it the deadliest period for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists started collecting data in 1992. Most of these media workers, who had been killed, were Palestinians based in Gaza.
The West Bank-based Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate reportedly accused Israel of targeting media professionals. They alleged that the media workers were being attacked “in an attempt to silence the truth and tighten the noose on freedom of expression.” The syndicate has called on the international community to protect Palestinian journalists.
