The Israeli occupation forces continued their murderous attack on Palestinians yesterday also by bombarding and killing civilians including an infant. Palestinian sources said that missiles targeted several areas in Gaza killing several people including women and children. This brings the death toll in the Gaza Strip to more than 35,600, while more than 79,800 have been injured.
Israel had been using brute force on civilian infrastructure like hospitals, educational institutions, humanitarian organisations, homes and media outlets. They have been denying the media outlets their right to report and show the world the destruction Israel is causing in the Strip.
“We are running out of words to describe what is happening in Gaza. We have described it as a catastrophe, a nightmare, as hell on earth. It is all of these, and worse,” Edem Wosornu of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.
Further exposing their hypocrisy, yesterday, Israel halted the Associated Press’s live feed from Gaza, and this comes two weeks after they shut down Al Jazeera operations. These two organisations are a few of those who are reporting from Gaza. Israeli authorities accused the AP of breaching a ban on Al Jazeera, imposed under a new law regulating foreign broadcasters. The Associated Press strongly condemned the move, while the White House expressed concern over Israel’s decision.
“The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country’s new foreign broadcaster law. We urge the Israeli authorities to return our equipment and enable us to reinstate our live feed immediately so we can continue to provide this important visual journalism to thousands of media outlets around the world,” an AP spokesperson said.
The attack on Gaza has taken a severe toll on media personnel. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, as of May 21, 2024, their investigations showed at least 105 journalists and media workers were killed since the war began on October 7. CPJ is also investigating numerous unconfirmed reports of other journalists being killed, missing, detained, hurt, or threatened, and of damage to media offices and journalists’ homes.
By taking a strong hand approach against the media including various bans on coverage from Gaza, Israel is trying to stymie the news about their atrocities coming out to the world. But as they stomp on news outlets, many locals are bravely showing the realities of Gaza through social media channels. And it’s time the world as a whole stood up against the bully before it’s too late.
