Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has taken a bold step by filing a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the killing and injuring of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. The media watchdog is seeking justice for at least nine Palestinian reporters who have been targeted by the Israeli army since December 15.
According to RSF, there are reasonable grounds to believe that some journalists were deliberately killed, while others were victims of intentional attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) against civilians. This complaint is the third one filed by RSF and focuses on eight Palestinian journalists who lost their lives between December 20 and May 20, as well as one who was injured.
Antoine Bernard, RSF’s advocacy and assistance director, emphasized the importance of protecting journalists, stating, “Those who kill journalists are attacking the public’s right to information, which is even more essential in times of conflict.”
The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, has also requested arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, Israel has vehemently denied these allegations.
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that at least 107 journalists and media workers have been killed during the Gaza war, making it the deadliest period for journalists since 1992. The RSF complaint includes the case of two Palestinian journalists killed in January while working for Al Jazeera.
The pursuit of justice for these journalists highlights the importance of press freedom and the need to hold those responsible for their deaths accountable. The world will be watching as the ICC investigates these alleged war crimes in Gaza.