By Committee To Protect Journalists
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
CPJ calls for an investigation into the killings on Sunday of journalists Hamza Al Dahdouh—who was the son of Al-Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al Dahdouh and the fifth member of his family to die in the Israel-Gaza war—and Mustafa Thuraya to determine whether they were targeted for carrying a drone.
Hamza Al Dahdouh, a journalist and camera operator for Al-Jazeera, and Thuraya, a freelance videographer, were on their way home to the southern city of Rafah after filming the aftermath of an airstrike when their vehicle was struck by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), multiple news reports said. At least one other man was injured, those sources said.
“The killings of journalists Hamza Al Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya must be independently investigated, and those behind their deaths must be held accountable. The continuous killings of journalists and their family members by Israeli army fire must end: journalists are civilians, not targets,” said CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour.
Wael Al Dahdouh’s wife, daughter, son, and grandson were killed on October 25 when an airstrike hit central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp.
The IDF initially said that on Sunday its aircraft “struck a terrorist who operated an aircraft that posed a threat to IDF troops.” Its spokesperson later described the incident as “unfortunate” but said “using a drone in a war zone, it’s a problem.”
Al-Jazeera told NBC News that the journalists were not flying a drone while driving.
“Journalists use equipment like cameras and drones for their work. It does not make them terrorists and should certainly not make them targets,” Mansour said.
CPJ has repeatedly expressed concern at the apparent targeting of journalists reporting on the war.
The Israel-Gaza war has taken an unprecedented toll on the media community. Scores of journalists and their family members have been killed since the start of fighting on October 7.
