Twelve journalists, six photographers, two artists, and a filmmaker were killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip. Five others were injured, while Israeli violations targeted 20 media professionals in the West Bank and the 1948 Territories. In Hezbollah-controlled areas of Lebanon, a reporter and a videographer were assaulted, while a journalist and a cameraman were prevented from carrying out their work. In Jordan, journalists were imprisoned, and the Jordanian Press Association (JPA) filed complaints against media institutions to collect the union’s financial rights.
The following is a detailed summary of the violations monitored by the SKeyes Center in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army continued its assault on civilians, including journalists, photographers, and their family members. Among the media professionals killed by the Israeli army were journalists Mohammad Abu Shariaa (07/01), Mohammad Al-Sakani (07/04), Rizk Abu Shkayan, Amjad Jahjouh and Wafaa Abu Dabaan (07/06), Salama Al-Hashash (07/08), Misaab Al-Zaza (07/15), Mohammad Mishmish (07/16), Mohammad Abu Jasser and Moatassem Ghorab (07/20), Haydar Al-Musaddar (07/22), and Ismail Al-Ghoul (07/31). Photographers Saad Madoukh and Ahmad Sukkar (07/05), Mohammad Manhal Abu Amarneh (07/13), Amani Zeidan (07/22), Ahmad Abu Dakka (07/29), and Rami Al-Rafi (07/31), were also killed while covering the war on when their homes were targeted by warplanes. The Israeli army also killed artist Shadi Al-Hajjar (07/13) and painter Mahmoud Al-Otol (07/16), as well as filmmaker Suha Slim who succumbed to her injuries (07/31). Journalists Mohammad Al-Quwaifi and Ahad Jarwan (07/04) were injured, as were photographers Sami Abu Ghalwe (07/13), Mahmoud Ekke (07/20), and Mohammad Al-Zaanine (07/22).
Meanwhile, CNN terminated its cooperation with journalist Abdul-Qader Sabbah, following a report by Israeli organization “Honest Reporting” accusing him of being associated with a Hamas-run entity (07/03).
In the West Bank, Israeli forces targeted media personnel with teargas and wastewater. The affected included Quds news network correspondent Hamza Mahmoud Hamdan, Al-Jazeera crew members – correspondent Mohammad Al-Atrash and videographer Louay Essaid, Al-Ghad channel team members – correspondent Khaled Bdeir and videographer Shadi Jararaa, Quds Feed correspondent Nagham Al-Zayet, freelance photographer Wahhaj Bani Mefleh, AFP photographer Jaafar Ashtieh, European Pressphoto Agency photographer Alaa Badarneh, Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah newspaper photographer Issam Al-Rimawi, and freelance photographer Hadi Sabarneh (07/23). Israeli soldiers also detained freelance journalist Karam Hussein for an hour and a half after targeting him with live bullets (07/25), and Hawana channel journalist Moatassem Jaber Daana for five hours, during which he was beaten and abused (07/28). Moreover, Israeli forces arrested An-Najah satellite channel videographer Hazem Imad Nasser at his home (07/25) and forced journalist Hamza Al-Jaber to surrender after raiding his house and arresting his brother to put pressure on him (07/20). Additionally, the Ofer court sentenced the Bethlehem 2000 radio station host Ayman Rubayaa to 16 months in prison on incitement charges (07/23).
In the 1948 Territories, Israeli forces assaulted the TRT channel crew, including videographer Omar Awwad and correspondent Mujahid Idmir, hampering their work in Jerusalem (07/26). Israel’s Channel 2 launched a social media smear campaign against Al-Mayadeen correspondent Hanaa Mahameed over press coverage (07/28), and the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court postponed the trial of freelance journalist Saeed Rakan until August 4 (07/09).
In Lebanon, violations primarily occurred in areas controlled by Amal and Hezbollah. Several young men assaulted the MTV channel crew – reporter Nawal Berry and videographer Dany Tanios – and destroyed their equipment. They also attempted to prevent Al-Jazeera Beirut office director Mazen Ibrahim from carrying out his journalistic duties while covering the Israeli raid on Haret Hreik (07/30). Others hindered the work of SPI news website photographer Omar Balah, confiscated his camera’s memory card, and erased the pictures while he was filming a report in Tayyouneh (07/13).
In Jordan, after the May arrest of journalist Hiba Abu Taha and the insistence on imprisoning her for a year in Juweida prison, the security services arrested journalist Ahmad Hassan Al-Zoabi (07/02). This was based on the Court of Appeal’s decision to sentence him to a year in prison with a fine following a post about the truck drivers’ strike in December. The court refused to replace the prison sentence with an alternative sanction (07/05). Moreover, the Marka prison administration prevented his friends from visiting, citing instructions to do so (07/30). The JPA also filed complaints against media institutions to collect the union’s financial rights.
