TWO journalists have been injured in what is believed to be a drone attack in Khan Younis.
Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, Wael Dahdou, and his cameraman Samer Abudaqa, were reporting on the ongoing conflict before reportedly being injured in an Israeli drone attack.
Dahdou was treated in hospital however, according to Al Jazeera reports, ambulances have struggled to reach Abudaqa, who has so far been unable to access medical care and is in a “critical condition”.
The media office of Gaza’s government said the “targeting” of the two journalists “comes within the framework of intimidation”.
Al Jazeera is reporting that the ambulance sent to take Abudaqa to Nasser Hospital had been unable to reach him, as the roads were blocked by the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Arrangements are underway for a bulldozer to accompany the ambulance back through, so that Abudaqa can receive hospital treatment.
Al Jazeera journalist Tareq Abu Assoum, reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza, said the organisation had contacted colleagues who are currently with Abudaqa, and said he was currently left bleeding on the street.
“They are totally terrified and afraid that he might lose his life,” Assoum reported.
Under international humanitarian law, the targeting and killing of journalists constitutes a war crime.
The wife, son and daughter of Dahdou were killed by an Israeli air strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp on October 25.
Al Jazeera broadcast live footage of the journalist crying as he saw his family lying dead in the morgue of a hospital.
He said: “What happened is clear, this is a series of targeted attacks on children, women and civilians.
“I was just reporting from Yarmouk about such an attack, and the Israeli raids have targeted many areas, including Nuseirat.
“We had our doubts that the Israeli occupation would not let these people go without punishing them. And sadly that is what happened. This is the ‘safe’ area that the occupation army spoke of.”
Jonathan Dagher, head of the Middle East desk at Reporters Without Borders, said the attack was “an unacceptable attack against brave journalists who are covering the conflict in Khan Younis.
“This is, of course, in the wider context of Israeli attacks against journalists.
“We remind very strongly that targeting journalists […] covering a war is a war crime.”
