Three Egyptian Journalists killed in Gaza

United Nations

Sphinx News: Ahmed Ali

In its latest wave of drone strikes within the decrepit Gaza Strip, Israel has reportedly killed three Egyptian journalists. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the three Egyptian journalists were among the 11 confirmed casualties, which additionally included two children.

Munir al-Bursh, director-general of the ministry, told media outlets that the strikes occurred today at dawn, injuring another six people and directly striking a vehicle. The vehicle was later identified by the Ministry of Health as working on behalf of the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief, which supervises Egypt’s relief work within Gaza.

According to reports by colleagues and medical officials, the three journalists—Anas Ghunaim, Abdul Ra’ouf Shaath, and Mohammad Qeshta—were documenting developments on the ground in central Gaza near the so-called Netzarim Corridor when they were hit in an Israeli strike.

Mohammed Mansour, the committee’s spokesman, told media outlets that the three journalists had been tasked with reporting on the latest developments of a newly set up Palestinian displacement camp. He added that the strikes occurred about three miles from Israeli-controlled territory outside the so-called “yellow line,” and that the vehicle “was known to the Israeli military as belonging to the Egyptian committee.”

Later, in an attempted justification, Israeli Army Radio, citing an Israeli security source, said that the “Israeli Air Force had targeted a vehicle in central Gaza,” claiming that its occupants were “using a drone to collect intelligence on army forces.”

As of October 23, 2023, more than 250 journalists have been confirmed killed within Gaza. Not only does this highlight the political ignominy of Israeli government officials in the military operations they have mandated across the Gaza Strip, but this alarming statistic also indicates that more journalists have been killed in Gaza alone over the past two and a half years than in both World Wars combined.

In reaction to the latest developments, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq stated: “We stand against the killing of any journalists, including the reported killing of the three Egyptian journalists. We believe that this incident must be fully investigated and there must be accountability.”