By Staff Reporter
Journalists, academics, journalism students, and members of the civil society of Makhanda and Rhodes University, Eastern Cape, stand in solidarity with all the journalists who have been killed in unprecedented numbers in Gaza since October 2023.
In just a few months, between 69 and 100 journalists have been killed in Israeli bombings and sniper killings in Gaza, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists and the government media office in Gaza. Most of the journalists were identifiable as non-combatants, wearing bulletproof vests marked PRESS or MEDIA in large letters. This did not deter the Israeli war machine from taking them out in cold blood.
According to the Palestinian Journalist’s Syndicate, Israel is deliberately targeting journalists, and in particular, Palestinian journalists. Journalists have also had their family members being targeted by Israel. Al Jazeera’s Bureau Chief in Gaza, the veteran journalist Wael Dahdouh, was informed while he was reporting live on air that his wife, son, daughter and grandson had been killed by Israel. About two months later, Dahdouh’s adult son, also a journalist, was also killed by Israel. Dahdouh himself was then fired upon by an Israeli drone just days ago and injured, with his cameraman colleague dying in the attack. They were reporting on the Israeli bombing of a school at the time.
We are also appalled by Israel’s bombing of media infrastructure, including its destruction of the Press House Gaza. In this space, staff journalists, freelancers, international journalists, and trainee journalists have collaborated for over ten years to learn from and support each other. Israel also bombed the 11-storey Al Jazeera and Associated Press offices in Gaza on 15 May 2021, destroying the building entirely. Israeli soldiers assassinated veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in broad daylight and in front of dozens of witnesses in Jenin, West Bank, on 11 May 2022 while she was covering a story.
We join with our journalist colleagues from across South Africa and the world in condemning Israel’s targeting of journalists. This level of targeted killings of journalists is unprecedented in the world, and we stand with our colleagues in other parts of South Africa and the world in demanding an immediate end to the indiscriminate Israeli bombings of Gaza. We demand that all journalists have equal freedoms and protection.
We also emphasise the critical role that journalists have to play in times of conflict and in monitoring the impact of attacks on civilians. The world is completely dependent on Palestinian journalists for updates on what is happening because international reporters have been barred by Israel from entering Gaza.
In the context of the above, we shall be holding a vigil at the Drostdy Arch on 28 January at 6 pm. We expect to be joined by the Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela; Archbishop Nkosinathi Ngesi of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church; members of the Islamic and the Jewish faiths; journalists; students leaders; and various other stakeholders who support the push for peace in Gaza.
For interviews, contact:
* Dr Jeanne du Toit, HoD, Rhodes University School of Journalism & Media Studies on 083 573 9970
* Dr Kealeboga Aiseng, Deputy HoD, Rhodes University School of Journalism & Media Studies on 078 324 6654
See the following statement for signatures: https://bit.ly/3Ue68Hz
