The Journalist Support Committee calls for an end to the persistent targeting of veteran and young journalists.

The Journalist Support Committee called for an end to the violations against Palestinian journalists and to stop the policy of targeting journalists while performing their duties and covering the peaceful marches that began from the borders of Gaza Strip in order to demand the right of return and lift the unjust siege on the Gaza Strip.

Saleh Al-Masri, Journalist Supporting Committee's representative in Palestine, stated on Saturday morning that the occupation persistent targeting on journalists aims to muzzle the journalists in order to hide the reality of the crimes committed by the occupation from the international community, and to intimidate them and restrict their movement and freedom in performing their humanitarian, journalist and national duty.

"There is a significant increase in the number of journalists injuries, mainly in Gaza Strip. The number of injuries recorded more than five injuries yesterday, including: Amjad Jarada, Hanin Baroud, Mohammed Abu Kadus, Mahmoud Abdel-Al and Maeen Al-Dabbah, during their coverage of Al-Aqsa Friday Intifada within the camp of return on the eastern border of Gaza Strip." Added Al-Masri.

He also said that the occupation deliberately targeted the rising generation in the world of media and press in order to discourage them from the profession of journalism and to intimidate them from the beginning of their path in showing the occupation crimes, as happened with the press student Alaa Al-Nimr, who was targeted by the occupation with a gas bomb causing burns in his back. 

Al-Masri pointed out that the number of journalists who have been injured since the beginning of the return marches has risen to more than 220 veteran and young journalists. The number of casualties was classified as the following:

1. 2 killed
2. 62 injuries by live and explosive bullets and shrapnel
3. 114 suffocation and fainting cases caused by gas inhalation
4. 57 injuries because of a gas bomb, which led to burns, wounds and fractures
5. 4 injuries from bullet-coated rubber bullets
6. 29 female journalists were either hit by bullets and gas bombs or suffocated and fainted.

The representative of Journalist Support Committee in Palestine called on the Federation and the international committees concerned with the journalist’s rights to exert pressure on the occupation to implement Security Council Resolutions 2222, which guarantees the protection for journalists, and provides the professional equipment for the media personnel, while the occupation prevented them from entering Palestine for more than ten years. 

 Watch moments of Alaa Al Nimr's targeting by the occupation with a gas bomb:

Journalist Support Committee - Palestine
29 September 2018