60 international press and human rights organizations called on the European Union to take action against the “unprecedented killings” and violations of media freedom committed by Israel against journalists in Gaza, stressing that they have verified that Tel Aviv “deliberately” killed a number of them.
This came in a joint letter sent by the organizations, including “Reporters Without Borders”, “Human Rights Watch” and the “Committee to Protect Journalists”, today, Monday, to the most prominent European leaders, headed by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Josep Borrell /.
‘In response to the unprecedented number of journalists killed and other repeated violations of press freedom by the Israeli authorities since the start of the war in Gaza, Reporters Without Borders and 59 other organizations call on the European Union to suspend the association agreement with Israel and impose sanctions on those responsible,’ the organizations said in a joint statement
.
The letter quoted Julie Majerczak, head of the RSF bureau in Brussels, as saying that Article 2 of the agreement stipulates ‘respect for human rights and democratic principles,’ accusing Israel of ‘clearly trampling on this article.’
Accordingly, Majerczak stressed that ‘the European Union, Israel’s leading trading partner, must draw the necessary conclusions from this and do its utmost to ensure that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government stops its massacre of journalists and respects the right to information and freedom of the press by opening media access to Gaza.’
‘We urge the European Union to take action against the unprecedented killings of journalists and violations of press freedom committed by Israel in Gaza,’ the organizations said in their letter.
“Israel has deliberately killed five journalists in Gaza and we are investigating ten more cases, and some of us believe the number is much higher,” she continued.
The organizations also stressed that “the targeted or random killing of jou
rnalists, whether committed deliberately or recklessly, is a war crime.” They stressed that “European leaders must unequivocally and publicly demand that Israel meet the following demands regarding press freedom: protect the lives of journalists, provide access to the media, and preserve freedom of reporting.”
The organizations also urged the European Union to demand that Israel “ensure accountability and end the impunity of the IDF.” They indicated in their letter that the period of the devastating war on the Gaza Strip is “the deadliest for journalists in decades.”
They said: “More than 130 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by the Israeli armed forces in Gaza since October 7, at least 30 of whom were killed while working, and three Lebanese journalists and an Israeli journalist were killed during the same period.”
On August 20, the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip announced that the number of Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli occupation forces had risen to 170 si
nce the start of the war on October 7.
Palestinian and international institutions had previously warned that the Israeli occupation forces were targeting press crews in the Gaza Strip, but Tel Aviv continued to target them despite them wearing press vests and helmets, defying international warnings.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency