In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, accusations have emerged concerning the tragic deaths of two journalists working for Al-Jazeera and AFP.
Al Jazeera journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh attends the funeral of his son, Palestinian journalist Hamza Al-Dahdouh, after Hamza was killed in an Israeli strike, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, January 7, 2024. Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
An Israeli air strike on a car near Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday killed two Palestinian journalists who were reporting, according to health officials (Hamas) in Gaza and the journalists' union there.
Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya were both freelancers. Al-Dahdouh had done freelance work for Al Jazeera and was the son of the Qatar-based TV station's chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael Al-Dahdouh. A third freelancer, Hazem Rajab, was wounded.
Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the killing of the two and said it had been a deliberate attack.
A statement from the Israeli military said that "an IDF aircraft identified and struck a terrorist who operated an aircraft that posed a threat to IDF troops."
"We are aware of the reports that during the strike, two other suspects who were in the same vehicle as the terrorist were also hit," the statement said.
In a statement on Dec. 16, in response to the death of another Al Jazeera journalist in Gaza, the Israeli army, said "the IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists".
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his U.S. counterpart that military operations in the Gaza Strip have created conditions that would enable a hostage deal to be reached, Gallant's office said on Wednesday.
A meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the Middle East was briefly interrupted on Wednesday when two protesters stood with signs and yelled for the release of Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The U.S. military announced on Wednesday that its mission to install and operate a temporary, floating pier off the coast of Gaza was complete, formally ending an extraordinary but troubled effort to bring humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
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