Israel-Gaza war takes disastrous toll at journalists

Numerous journalists have descended onto the conflict zones since the Israel-Gaza war broke out on October 7 (Saturday) in an attempt to uncover any war crimes and the suffering of those entangled in the crossfire.

By putting their lives in danger to report on the brutal reality of conflict, journalists working on the front lines in the Gaza Strip serve as an essential conduit between the people and the battlefield.

However, despite being on the battleground to report the truth, they have also endured suffering at the hands of Israeli forces.

According to BBC, two journalists and their BBC Arabic team covering the attack on Israel were assaulted and held at gunpoint after they were stopped by police in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

Journalists Muhannad Tutunji, Haitham Abudiab and their BBC Arabic team were driving to a hotel when their car was intercepted. They were dragged from the vehicle — which was marked "TV" in red tape — searched and pushed against a wall.

A BBC spokesperson urged that journalists "must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely".

Tutunji and Abudiab presented their press ID cards to the police, claiming to be BBC journalists. Tutunji said that as he tried to record the incident, his phone was thrown to the ground and he was hit in the neck.

"One of our BBC News Arabic teams deployed in Tel Aviv, in a vehicle clearly marked as media, was stopped and assaulted last night by Israeli police. Journalists must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely," a BBC spokesperson said.

The BBC has contacted Israeli police for comment following the incident.

But this doesn't end there. A video journalist lost his life and several others were injured allegedly from an Israeli strike while covering the war in southern.

Reuters confirmed Issam Abdallah's death in a statement on Friday and expressed its commitment to seeking more information, collaborating with regional authorities, and providing support to Issam's family and colleagues.

Among the injured journalists were Elie Brakhya, a cameraperson, and Carmen Joukhadar, a reporter, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The attack, reportedly involving a tank shell, struck the journalists directly. The situation on the ground was described as deeply distressing, with journalists clearly identified as press members.

At least six journalists lost their lives in Gaza since the commencement of Israel's shelling, which followed a fatal attack on southern Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian Authority in control of the region.

This information was reported by press freedom organisations and media networks.

Hisham Alnwajha, Mohammed Subh, and Saeed al-Taweel fell victim to Tuesday's airstrike. According to the Journalist Support Committee (JSC) and the Palestinian press freedom organisation Mada, Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi and Mohammad Jarghoun were shot and killed while performing their journalistic duties last Saturday.

Furthermore, Mohammad el-Salhi was shot dead on the border east of the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, a tragic incident reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The loss of Issam Abdallah and the injuries to other journalists underscore the perilous conditions journalists face while reporting in conflict zones, emphasising the importance of safeguarding press freedom and the safety of media professionals.

Meanwhile, US news network MSNBC has come under scrutiny after suspending the shows of three Muslim anchors, Mehdi Hasan, Ayman Mohieddine, and Ali Velshi, leading to a flurry of discussions and concerns.

Their suspension amid rising tensions following an attack by Hamas, raises questions about potential religious targeting, according to Arab News.

While MSNBC vehemently denies any sidelining of Hasan and Mohieddine, two sources closely involved with the network's decision have confirmed the suspension of these Muslim anchors' shows.