At least five Palestinian journalists were killed and two went missing while reporting on Israel's ongoing war with Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
Journalists Saeed Al-Taweel and photographer Mohammed Sobih were killed on Tuesday when Israeli warplanes struck an area housing several media houses in Rimal district in western Gaza, the Associated Press quoted Palestinian news agency Wafa as reporting.
Three other Palestinian journalists were killed over the weekend while reporting from Gaza, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said, citing Palestinian press freedom groups.
Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media, was shot dead while reporting from the Gaza Strip’s Erez Crossing on Saturday, while Mohammad Jarghoun, a reporter with Smart Media, was killed in the southern part of the region.
The CPJ confirmed freelance journalist Mohammad El-Salhi was also shot dead in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Two Palestinian photojournalists – Nidal Al-Wahidi from the Al-Najah channel and Haitham Abdelwahid from the Ain Media – have been missing for the past three days, the press freedom watchdog said.
At least 900 people have been killed in Israel after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared "war" on Hamas following the militant group's surprise attack on the country. Israel responded by raining missiles on Gaza, which killed nearly 700 people since Saturday.
Palestinians inspect the destruction from Israeli airstrike in Gaza— (AFP via Getty Images)
The Israeli authorities have ordered a “complete siege” of Gaza, cutting off food, electricity and fuel as the Hamas threatened to execute hostages.
The CPJ said it was "extremely concerned" and called on all sides to "remember that journalists are civilians and should not be targeted".
"Accurate reporting is critical during times of crisis and the media has a vital role to play in bringing news from Gaza and Israel to the world," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator.
A fireball erupts from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City— (AFP via Getty Images)
Multiple videos and images on social media showed journalists taking cover during the bombardment of Gaza and Israel.
Critics have accused the Israeli defence forces of targeting Palestinian journalists and evading accountability in the deaths of 20 journalists over the past two decades.
A television crew for Sky News Arabia was allegedly assaulted by the Israeli police in the southern city of Ashkelon and damaged their equipment during the conflict.
Correspondent Firas Lutfi said the police aimed rifles at his head, forced him to remove his clothes, confiscated the team’s phones, and made them leave the area under police escort, according to CPJ.
Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist with the Al Jazeera, was killed last year while covering the Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank.
The army has said Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli fire, but said the shooting was accidental and did not announce any disciplinary action.
