The Portuguese Journalists’ Union (SJ) has publicly condemned what it terms as another “unacceptable attack”, aligning with the UN’s stance that the death of the Qatari television journalists constitutes a “serious violation of international humanitarian law”.
“It is totally unacceptable for Israel to continue targeting journalists,” stated the SJ, echoing criticism from other international organizations and reminding that “over 250 professionals have died in that territory since October 2023”.
Sunday’s attack in the capital of the Palestinian enclave resulted in the deaths of five journalists from Qatari television, including a well-known reporter, Anas al-Sharif, aged 28, about whom the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had expressed safety concerns in the past month.
Among the casualties, besides Anas al-Sharif, were journalists Mohammed Qraiqea and the camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohamed Nofal, and Moamen Aliwa. Freelance journalist Mohammed Al-Khaldi, who occasionally collaborated with local media, was also killed in the attack.
The Israeli army admitted to killing the journalists and accused Anas al-Sharif of being linked to Hamas, presenting as evidence two documents whose origin was not detailed and cannot be verified.
The Portuguese Journalists’ Union highlighted that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Al-Jazeera “deny the Israeli government’s accusations” that Anas al-Sharif was a terrorist linked to Hamas.
“RSF emphasizes that Israel is once again making an unfounded accusation without evidence, attempting to justify another attack on a journalist in the Gaza Strip,” said the SJ.
On July 24, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Anas al-Sharif was the target of an “Israeli military defamation campaign,” considered “a precursor to his murder”.
Amnesty International has strongly condemned the “deliberate killing” of the journalists, and the Committee to Protect Journalists criticized Israel’s justification.
In today’s statement, the SJ stressed the importance of journalists’ presence in the Gaza Strip and their protection in the Palestinian enclave, recalling that Reporters Without Borders “makes a public appeal for UN intervention to protect journalists reporting on the conflict, based on Resolution 2222, dated 2015”.
In line with the UN’s position, the SJ calls for immediate, safe, and unrestricted access to the Gaza Strip. “It is urgent to allow journalists to access the territory safely, to report on this conflict independently and transparently,” stated the union’s leadership.
Philippe Lazzarini, director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), also called for the protection of reporters and for international media to be allowed into Gaza.
Given the dire situation, the European Federation of Journalists is currently running an initiative, with which the Portuguese Journalists’ Union has associated, appealing to journalism professionals to donate to Palestinian journalists and their families.
