Gaza, ALRAY -Today marks the first anniversary of the assassination of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was fatally shot by the Israeli occupation army during its raid into the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on 11 May 2022.
Such an anniversary comes as the Israeli occupation continues to commit crimes – designated as war crimes punishable by international law – in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank in a bid to suppress the truth about its aggression and brutal violations against the Palestinian people, in general, and journalists, in particular.
In June 2022, the Israeli occupation army executed Palestinian journalist Ghufran Warasneh, 31, in cold blood, raising the number of reporters who have been killed by Israeli occupation forces since 2000 to 49.
Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation has launched a violent offensive against the besieged Gaza Strip, targeting children, women, and elderly people and bombing homes with their residents inside in a bid to achieve partisan interests at the expense of the Palestinian people.
In addition, the Israeli occupation has banned foreign reporters from entering the Gaza Strip to cover its aggression against the blockaded enclave.
The Government Media Office (GMO) stresses that the Israeli occupation is violating the basic principles of the freedom of the press, reiterating the necessity to put an end to the Israeli occupation's impunity and support the Palestinian people in their struggle for their rights.
The GMO calls on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take a serious action and launch a true investigation into Abu Akleh's killing.
It also urged the UN Security Council to implement Resolution 2222 calling for protecting journalists and holding the Israeli occupation accountable for its violations against Palestinian media workers.
Reaffirming the importance for media outlets to assume their duty in covering Israeli crimes, the GMO calls on all relevant international parties to put an end to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and assume their responsibility towards protecting journalists and media organizations.
The Government Media Office
Thursday, 11 May 2023
