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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Thursday said it is alarmed by the killing of Saleh Aljafarawi, a 28-year-old freelance Palestinian journalist who rose to prominence on social media for his war coverage. He was shot and killed on October 12 in Gaza City, days after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas.
Aljafarawi was killed while filming in the Sabra neighborhood amid overnight clashes. His father said that armed men cooperating with the Israeli military shot him and that his son was clearly identifiable as press, wearing a vest and helmet. Gaza’s governmental media office said he “was killed by gunfire from one of the gangs while covering the security forces’ clash with them” in Sabra. Footage verified by reporters showed his body, with a PRESS vest, being transported on the back of a truck; he had been missing since Sunday morning.
The killing came as a ceasefire and prisoner-hostage exchange took effect. Under the agreement approved on October 10, Israeli forces redeployed away from parts of Gaza’s urban centers within 24 hours, with a phased release of 48 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees to follow, and a ramp-up of humanitarian aid shipments and movement along main roads.
Security vacuums have accompanied some pullbacks. Over the weekend and into Sunday, clashes erupted in southern Gaza City between Hamas security units and fighters linked to the Doghmush clan and to a militia led by Yasser Abu-Shabab. Local sources reported dozens killed and wounded.
Debate over outside involvement has intensified. In June, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel had “activated” some clans against Hamas, citing security recommendations. Separately, Palestinian media and activists have alleged that Abu-Shabab’s group received backing from Israel.
CPJ figures show that Israel has produced the deadliest period for the press since the group began tracking data in 1992. Recent incidents include an August strike at Nasser Hospital that killed five journalists in a “double strike,” and a separate strike near al-Shifa Hospital that killed five Al Jazeera staff and a freelancer. Another airstrike in December outside Al-Awda Hospital struck a press-marked van, killing five journalists. UN human rights experts have called for independent criminal investigations into these killings and for those responsible to be held to account.
Following the ceasefire, the Foreign Press Association renewed its call for Israel to grant international media free, independent access to Gaza, noting that foreign reporters have largely been barred for two years while local journalists face extreme risk.
In a related concern over online speech, Meta deleted Aljafarawi’s 4.5 million follower Instagram account days after his death, drawing criticism from UN experts who said the move further silences Palestinian journalists’ reporting.
“Saleh Aljafarawi’s killing highlights the ongoing dangers journalists in Gaza face, even after a ceasefire,” CPJ said. The group called on all authorities and armed groups in Gaza to disclose information about the circumstances of the shooting, ensure access for reporters, and protect the press.
The post Palestinian journalist killed in Gaza amid post-ceasefire clashes appeared first on JURIST - News.
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Aljafarawi was killed while filming in the Sabra neighborhood amid overnight clashes. His father said that armed men cooperating with the Israeli military shot him and that his son was clearly identifiable as press, wearing a vest and helmet. Gaza’s governmental media office said he “was killed by gunfire from one of the gangs while covering the security forces’ clash with them” in Sabra. Footage verified by reporters showed his body, with a PRESS vest, being transported on the back of a truck; he had been missing since Sunday morning.
The killing came as a ceasefire and prisoner-hostage exchange took effect. Under the agreement approved on October 10, Israeli forces redeployed away from parts of Gaza’s urban centers within 24 hours, with a phased release of 48 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees to follow, and a ramp-up of humanitarian aid shipments and movement along main roads.
Security vacuums have accompanied some pullbacks. Over the weekend and into Sunday, clashes erupted in southern Gaza City between Hamas security units and fighters linked to the Doghmush clan and to a militia led by Yasser Abu-Shabab. Local sources reported dozens killed and wounded.
Debate over outside involvement has intensified. In June, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel had “activated” some clans against Hamas, citing security recommendations. Separately, Palestinian media and activists have alleged that Abu-Shabab’s group received backing from Israel.
CPJ figures show that Israel has produced the deadliest period for the press since the group began tracking data in 1992. Recent incidents include an August strike at Nasser Hospital that killed five journalists in a “double strike,” and a separate strike near al-Shifa Hospital that killed five Al Jazeera staff and a freelancer. Another airstrike in December outside Al-Awda Hospital struck a press-marked van, killing five journalists. UN human rights experts have called for independent criminal investigations into these killings and for those responsible to be held to account.
Following the ceasefire, the Foreign Press Association renewed its call for Israel to grant international media free, independent access to Gaza, noting that foreign reporters have largely been barred for two years while local journalists face extreme risk.
In a related concern over online speech, Meta deleted Aljafarawi’s 4.5 million follower Instagram account days after his death, drawing criticism from UN experts who said the move further silences Palestinian journalists’ reporting.
“Saleh Aljafarawi’s killing highlights the ongoing dangers journalists in Gaza face, even after a ceasefire,” CPJ said. The group called on all authorities and armed groups in Gaza to disclose information about the circumstances of the shooting, ensure access for reporters, and protect the press.
The post Palestinian journalist killed in Gaza amid post-ceasefire clashes appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.