The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) strongly condemned the horrific crime committed by the Israeli occupation authorities, which claimed the lives of six journalists, four of whom were working for Al Jazeera Media Network.
In this context, Her Excellency Chairperson of the NHRC Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah affirmed that this crime adds to a series of crimes including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed by the occupation authorities against the civilian population in occupied Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, since October 7, 2023, in blatant violation of all international conventions protecting journalists in conflict zones and during wars.
Her Excellency pointed out that the occupation authorities continue to commit their crimes and violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law amid the ongoing silence of the international community and weak international protective measures.
Al Attiyah renewed her call for the international community to take immediate action to protect civilians in occupied Palestine from the attacks and arbitrary measures carried out by the occupation authorities aimed at exterminating the Palestinian people, emphasizing the necessity of respecting and protecting journalists working in the occupied Palestinian territories, enabling them to perform their professional duties, and safeguarding them from all forms of retaliation and intimidation.
Her Excellency also emphasized the importance of urgent international measures to pressure the occupation authorities to cease their attacks, which target civilians and vital facilities that serve as lifelines for the civilian population. She called for granting humanitarian relief teams and journalists access and free movement within the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip.
Al Attiyah expressed her deep sorrow over the assassination of journalists who were carrying out their media coverage with utmost professionalism. She pointed out that these victims were the revealing eyes of the systematic starvation policy, deliberate killing of civilians, and deprivation of essential necessities, noting that this was a desperate attempt by the occupation authorities to cover up their well known crimes before the entire world.
Her Excellency affirmed that the killing of journalists will not obscure the truth, renewing her call on the international community and relevant international institutions to work toward preventing the continued impunity for crimes committed against journalists.
