Palestine: Israeli soldiers attack journalists with live bullets and teargas bombs

Israeli military forces attacked Palestinian journalists when they were covering a protest march in the Gaza border. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestine Journalists Syndicate (PJS) today condemned in the strongest possible terms the attack on civilians and the targeting of media workers who are witnessing human rights violations in Palestine.

Tear gas canisters fired by Israeli forces across the fence fall amongst Palestinian protesters demonstrating near the Gaza Strip on July 19, 2019. Credits: SAID KHATIB / AFP

According to media reports, up to ninety-seven Palestinians were wounded during altercations with the Israeli military along the border between Israel and Gaza, some of them injured by live fire.

The PJS reported that two journalists were among the victims. Sami Misran, a photographer working for Al-Aqsa tv, was hit by an explosive fragment in the left eye, while one of his colleagues was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the shoulder. Both of them were wearing the press vest.

Two more journalists were attacked in a separate incident in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Wadi al-Hummus. Ayat Arqawi, a photojournalist of APA agency, was hit and injured by a gas canister in her pelvis and reporter Omar Al-Amour felt suffocated by the gas canisters. They were covering a peaceful sit-in to protest against the demolition plan of their houses.

The IFJ has always condemned the permanent attacks on Palestinian media workers and the violations of press freedom in the Palestinian occupied territories.

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

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