CPJ: Seven Gaza Journalists Injured on Fifth Friday of Protests (VIDEO)

April 28, 2018 Blog, Features, News, Videos
Palestinian Journalist Syndicate in Ramallah organizes a symbolic funeral for journalist Ahmad Abu Hussein. (Photo: via Twitter)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

A US-based rights monitoring group confirmed that at least seven Palestinian journalists covering the Great Return March in Gaza have been injured on the fifth Friday of the ongoing protests.

The Committee to Protest Journalists (CPJ) said the toll was based on reports by Palestinian Journalist Syndicate, local media, and three local journalists – Moneeb Saada, Saud Abu Ramadan, and Sami Eissa.

The injuries were sustained from Israeli forces’ tear gas and live bullets fired at the journalists – photographers or reporters – over the five protest locations along the eastern Gaza border.

The organization named the injured journalists:

1- Abdulrahman al-Kahlout: Reporting for Shehab News Agency; he was injured in his right leg by a live bullet.

Pictures posted by We Are Not Numbers on Twitter showed al-Kahlout wearing a bulletproof vest marked “PRESS” and a helmet marked “TV” when he was hit by a live round.

2- Hashem Hamadeh: A freelance photographer; he was hit in the head and face by gas canisters.

3- Islam Ezzanoun: Reporting for the Palestinian Authority’s official broadcaster, Palestine TV; she inhaled tear gas.

4- Nabil Darabieh: Reporting for local news website Quds Media; he was hit in the head and face by gas canisters.

5- Mohammad al-Masry: A photographer and camera operator for Shehab News Agency; he inhaled tear gas.

6- Lana Saheen: A reporter for the Beirut-based pan-Arab al-Mayadeen news channel; she inhaled tear gas and fainted.

7- Hassan al-Jeddi: A photographer for local news website Shams News; he inhaled tear gas.

Since the protests began on March 30, 2018, CPJ has documented at least 14 journalists hit by live rounds fired by Israel Defense Forces, two of whom– Yaser Murtaja and Ahmed Abu Hussein–later died from their injuries.

A recent independently produced documentary covering five consecutive Fridays featured Israel’s violations against journalists since the beginning of the Great Return March demonstrations.

The five-minute film, made by Mohammed Al Zaanoun, documented a total of 37 attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces on press staff, including 16 cases of live and exploding bullets, 20 cases of teargas canisters. Two were reportedly killed.

A video published by a local media agency shows a journalist being targeted among crowds of people.

A local monitor of press violations, The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), called for the formation of an independent commission of inquiry into the killing of Ahmed Abu Hussein and Yasser Murtaja, who are protected Palestinian journalists under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

    Learn More     Watch Video
(The Palestine Chronicle is a registered 501(c)3 organization, thus, all donations are tax deductible.)
Our Vision For Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders & Intellectuals Speak Out

Related Articles