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“MADA”: The Israeli Occupation commits 122 Offence and Serious Assault against Media Freedoms in Palestine in May

Ramallah – (13th June 2021) - May 2021 has witnessed a large-scale of Israeli offenses and assaults against media freedoms in Palestine, during which the occupation army and authorities committed 122 assaults and offenses against Palestinian, Arab, and international journalists and media, most of which fall under serious offenses and grave assaults, which will cause serious repercussions on the overall media work, the freedom of the press and its ability to work and fulfill its tasks as it supposed to, now and in the medium and long term in Palestine.

Undoubtedly, the murder of the broadcaster in "Sawt Al-Aqsa" in Gaza, journalist Yousef Mohammad Abu Hussein, as well as the media graduates Mohammad Shaheen and Abdul Hamid Kolk (who do not work), as a result of bombing their houses in Gaza Strip, as well as targeting and injuring dozens of journalists in the West Bank and Gaza, in addition to the destruction of dozens of Palestinian, Arab and international media institutions, represented the peak of the Israeli crimes.

In addition to the martyrdom of Abu Hussein, Shaheen, and Kolk, a total of 54 journalists were injured in direct occupation assaults during May in the West Bank and Gaza (49 of them in the West Bank and 5 in Gaza), most of them were injured by metal bullets, gas and sound bombs fired by the soldiers directly at their bodies, while they were covering various events. The occupation army also destroyed the headquarters and offices of 30 Palestinian, Arab, and international media organizations in Gaza Strip, employing hundreds of people, in addition to destroying the houses of 8 journalists, entirely or partially, in Gaza, and arresting six journalists in the West Bank, not to mention the series of other assaults and bans from coverage it has committed.

 

 

Most of these assaults and offenses were committed deliberately and systematically to obscure the crimes committed by the occupation army during its aggression on Gaza Strip, which lasted 11 days, and the escalation of the Israeli attacks and assaults witnessed in the occupied city of Jerusalem and across the West Bank last month.

In order to disrupt the activities of dozens of media outlets and hundreds of journalists and to exclude them from journalistic work, the occupation army, during its aggression on Gaza, destroyed the headquarters and offices of 30 Palestinian, Arab, and international media organizations operating in the Strip, through official and announced targeting of several huge towers that include most of these institutions. For instance, Al-Jawhara Tower, which was destroyed by the Israeli army, consisted of headquarters and offices of 16 Palestinian, Arab, and international media institutions, while Al-Jalaa Tower consisted of the headquarters and offices of 6 other institutions, including the Qatari TV Channel, Al-Jazeera, and the headquarters of the American Associated Press.

In addition to suspending the operation, partially or completely, of these institutions and the staff thereof, it inflicted long-term material damage to these institutions that may prevent them from being able to resume their activities again, and even if they managed to do so, not quit soon.

To be more accurate about what the destruction of these institutions represents, we note that the newspaper "Palestine", which is the only daily newspaper published in Gaza, and one of the institutions whose headquarters were destroyed, has lost about 1,200,000 USD, knowing that 86 employees work therein. Similarly, the losses of “Sawt Al-Asra” Radio were estimated at 400,000USD, knowing that 30 employees work therein, while Al-Aqsa TV, where 200 employees work, lost about 1,000,000 USD.

The losses are not limited to the financial aspect - despite the great importance of course - but the greatest danger lies in the professional aspect of the press, as the National Agency, whose headquarters consisted of 12 apartments, an institution that provides media services to many TV channels, resulted in the direct damage to seven Arab channels that have offices there and receive services therefrom.

 

Violations by the Social Media Companies:

The recent Israeli aggression and escalation, and the widespread crimes and assaults against media freedoms in Palestine, were accompanied by widespread violations committed by social media companies and networks, by blocking the pages of dozens of journalists, as well as blocking or disabling the pages of hundreds of Palestinian citizens and activists in connection with what they post about the current events and the Israeli assaults.

The social media companies "Facebook", "Twitter", "WhatsApp", "Tik Tok" and "Instagram" have deleted and closed the accounts of journalists, and restricted posting thereon, not to mention closing some large communication groups for journalists and media organizations (one of which includes 260 journalists), as well as blocking other accounts during the last month.

 

It is noteworthy that most of these blocks came on the last day of the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip. Some of which were also connected to the media popular campaign intended to support the families of Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem who are threatened to be displaced from their houses to be seized for Israeli settlers.

MADA Center managed to document a total of 39 violations committed by various social media companies and networks against Palestinian journalists, distributed as follows: WhatsApp (15 blocks and suspension of accounts of journalists, one of which affected a group of 260 journalists that was suspended), Facebook (15 violations), Twitter (6 violations), and Tik Tok (3 violations).

Moreover, Instagram Application deleted a large number of posts supporting the campaign of solidarity with the cause of Sheikh Jarrah, “Save Sheikh Jarrah”. However, “Instagram” apologized later on and claimed that this was “an unintended mistake”, while the journalists and activists whose posts were deleted stated that their stories and posts on Instagram about the cause of Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem did not appear to the followers.

 

Palestinian Violations:

The Palestinian violations during May were limited to a total of 6 violations, 4 of which took place in Gaza Strip and two in the West Bank. All of which were summoning, ban from coverage, in addition to one threat in connection to covering the events.

Details of May Violations:

(4th May) The Israeli occupation police prevented the freelance journalist Yasmine Mahmoud Asaad (28 years old) and the freelance journalist Muna Nabil Al-Kurd (25 years old) from filming in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, where the owners of several houses are threatened with displacement.

While both journalists, Yasmine and Muna, were filming in the neighborhood, at about 3:30PM, on Tuesday corresponding 4th May 2021, a police patrol arrived and informed them that they are not allowed to film there “given the sensitive situation”. They were asked to film in specific locations away from settlers. In the preceding days, Muna Al-Kurd was subjected to three threats by the police not to film (noting that her family’s house is one of the houses threatened with confiscation). The Israeli police threatened her directly on one occasion, and twice through her parents and her brother. They came to her house and threatened her family and asked them to prevent her from filming claiming that (her filming) negatively affects them and the proceedings of the Court that is hearing the case of displaced families from Sheikh Jarrah.

Note: part of Muna Al-Kurd’s house has been taken for years and given to one of the settlers. Currently, the entire house is threatened to be seized as well as the land on which it is built for the settlers.

 

(5th May) The occupation forces assaulted a number of journalists who headed to Aqraba, southern Nablus, to cover the storming and raiding therein by the Army on 5th May 2021.

These assaults have affected the staff of Quds News Network, including the reporter Mutasem Sameer Saqf Al-Hait (31 years old), Abdullah Al-Bahsh, the cameraman, in addition to the staff of Al-Arabi TV including the reporter in the West Bank Ameed Zayed Shehadah (34 years old), his coworker Mahmoud Othman Khlouf, the cameraman (34 years old), and Anatolia Turkish Agency cameraman Hisham Abu Shaqra, as well as other journalists.

Mutasem Saqf Al-Hait and Anatolia Agency Cameraman Hisham Abu Shaqra stated that at 11:00PM, on 5th May 2021, Wednesday, they were filming the soldiers seizing cameras from some shops at Aqraba. The soldiers fired rubber bullets at them, and at 2:00PM, while Mutasem was with his colleague, the cameraman of Quds Network Abdullah Al-Bahsh in another location to film one of the raiding operations, the soldiers asked them to step away even though they were 150 meters away from them. Gas bombs were fired at them but did not cause them any harm. They moved to a safer location, however, a military Jeep rushed to them and when the soldiers arrived, they seized their mobile phones.

When Al-Arabi TV staff, including the West Bank Reporter Ameed Shehadah and the cameraman Mahmoud Othman, arrived at Aqraba, at around 3:30PM, on that day, they stopped to see their colleague Mutasem Saqf Al-Hait, and the soldiers were 100 meters away from them. Five minutes later, when the cameraman Mahmoud Othman started preparing his filming equipment, the soldiers targeted them with a gas bomb that fell in front of the vehicle. They were not wearing the masks, and escaped to the vehicle to protect themselves from the suffocating gas. However, another gas bomb was fired by the soldiers and fell inside the vehicle, resulting in their severe suffocation. They jumped out of the vehicle rushing to one of the close houses where they were treated in the field.

After that, at around 5:30, the staff moved to Beta Town, near Aqraba, to film live. However, the soldiers who were 100 meters away headed to them and threatened them with smashing their camera if they do not leave, so they did.

 

(7th May) The freelance journalist Ibrahim Kamal Hamad “Al-Sinjlawi” (26 years old), was injured with bruises as a result of being assaulted during covering the events in Sheikh Jarrah, in Jerusalem. Moreover, an Israeli police officer seized his camera on the same day while covering assaults by the Police in Al-Aqsa Mosque against the prayers.

 

The journalist, Ibrahim, at 8:30PM, on Friday, went to Sheikh Jarrah to cover the suppression of the Israeli Police to the protesters there against the displacement of families therein. The Police asked everyone to stay away and started assaulting and pushing the protesters and journalists, including Al-Sinjlawi who fell to the ground as a result of his injury with bruises in his hand not to mention beating him up by a police officer thereafter. The Police suppressed the protesters with gas bombs forcing them to leave the neighborhood.

At around 11:00PM on the same night, the journalist Al-Sinjlawi went to Al-Aqsa Mosque to film the assaults of the police against the prayers. While filming the events, an Israeli officer in civilian clothing and helmet on his head seized his camera (Canon R5). Al-Sinjlawi tried to take it back and followed the officer, but the intensive shooting of gas bombs and rubber bullets by the Israeli police forced the officer to rush away and Al-Sinjlawi had to escape and leave.

 

(8th May) An Occupation Intelligence Force, on Saturday afternoon, corresponding 8th May 2021, arrested the Director of Elia Institution, Ahmad Hussein Al-Safadi (49 years old) from his house located in Al-Sa’diya block, Old City of Jerusalem.

His wife, Tahany, stated to MADA that the occupation intelligence arrested Ahmad under an official decision they had as they informed her. However, she did not see any. On Sunday and Monday (10th and 11th May 2021), Al-Safadi was brought before the Central Court that released him on a bail of 1000, paid, in addition to an amount of 7500 NIS (unpaid bail), provided he never appears in demonstrations and to wear the press uniform and carry his press card all the time.

 

(8th May) The journalists: Abdelafou Zughayar (freelance journalist), Fayez Hamza Abu Rmailah (29 years old), Anatolia Agency cameraman Mustafa Al-Nather/Iyad Al-Kharouf (34 years old), and the cameraman Atta Owaisat, were injured by the occupation rubber-coated metal bullets while covering the storming of the occupation forces to Al-Aqsa Mosque and assaulting the prayers on Saturday evening, 8th May 2021.

While the freelance photojournalist Abdelafou Zughayar, around 8:00PM that day, was in Al-Aqsa Mosque to cover the storming of the Israeli Police and its assaults against the prayers including the clashes, the occupation forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets heavily and randomly at the prayers and journalists everywhere. Al-Zughayar was wounded by a rubber bullet in the right shoulder and was taken to the clinic inside Al-Aqsa, where he received first aid and returned to cover the events. Soon after that, at about 9:30, he was wounded by another rubber bullet fired at him by a policeman in the back, and this time his injury was more severe and he fell as a result to the ground. He was transferred again for treatment at Al-Aqsa clinic.

On the evening of that day (Saturday, 8th May 2021), after the journalists, Fayez Hamza Abu Rmailah (29 years old), Anatolia Agency cameraman Mustafa Al-Nather/Iyad Al-Kharouf (34 years old), and the cameraman Atta Owaisat were done filming the events that took place in Al-Aqsa, they were standing in a relatively secluded area with no one around them after the police kicked all of the demonstrators and evacuated the location. Some Israeli police officers fired rubber-coated metal bullets at them which resulted in the injury of Fayez Abu Rmailah with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right leg, while Al-Kharouf was injured by a gunshot in the back, and Atta Owaisat was injured in the face. At 12:30 after midnight, they went to Makassed Hospital for treatment where they stayed for two hours and then left.

On Monday corresponding 10th May 2021, two days after these assaults, the cameraman Abdelafou Zughayar was assaulted again at about 10:30AM while he was covering events at the Lion’s Gate, Al-Aqsa Mosque, where he was beaten by the soldiers who assaulted the citizens and press staff in the location including Zughayar with batons.

(9th May) The freelance journalist Nidal Asmar Al-Natshah (33 years old), on Sunday corresponding 9th May 2021, was threatened by Palestinian Security Services officers on the background of posting a video in which a Palestinian security force is preventing the Palestinians from protesting in addition to clashes with the occupation forces at Bab a-Zawiya, Hebron.

The journalist Nidal, at 10:30PM, the previous day (Saturday, 8th May, 2021), has filmed a video clip while a number of young men gathered near Bab al-Zawiya, in preparation for a demonstration against the occupation forces, in which Palestinian security forces appear as they evacuate three young men by force to keep the demonstrators away to prevent clashes with the Israeli army. He was threatened by security officers to smash his camera and beat him up if he entered Bab al-Zawiya area. They asked him to delete what he had posted on his account and he indeed adjusted the post half an hour later.

 

(10th May) Several journalists were injured by the occupation bullets and as a result of assaulting them while covering events in Al-Aqsa Mosque on 10th May 2021.

On Monday morning (corresponding 10th May 2021), a group of journalists went to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to cover the storming of settlers and occupation forces, namely: the cameramen of Anatolia Agency Hisham Abu Shaqra and Fayez Abu Rmailah, the camerawoman Bara’ Abu Rmouz, and Al-Arabi TV reporter Ahmad Nayef Jaradat (30 years old), as well as his coworker the cameraman Ethar Abu Gharbiyah. They arrived at the mosque at about 7:00AM, and at around 8:00AM, the Israeli police and security officers started targeting everyone holding a camera or filming equipment. Although they identified themselves as journalists, the police officers did not consider this and assaulted them with hands and batons and asked them to leave Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was followed by the occupation forces firing tear gas and rubber bullets, which resulted in the injury of Al-Araby TV cameraman Ethar Abu Gharbiyah with two bullets in the right leg, near the knee. These assaults also targeted the journalists Hisham Abu Shaqra, and the camerawoman Bara’ Abu Rmouz as well as Nayef Jaradat.

At around 11:00AM on that day, while they were covering these events and clashes in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the cameramen Fayez Hamza Abu Rmailah (29 years old), and Rami Al-Khateeb, headed towards Alqatanin Gate, where an occupation police force was in front of the Emergency Room attempting to arrest one of the injured. Abu Rmailah and Al-Khateeb tried to enter the room to film the injured but the police officers prevented them and pushed Abu Rmailah and assaulted him. They also assaulted his colleague Rami Al-Khateeb who filmed the assault against Abu Rmailah.

At around 10:00AM on the same day (10th May 2021), CNN cameraman Kareem Asad Khader (45 years old) was injured by a rubber bullet in the right leg (near the ankle) while he was covering events at the Lion’s Gate, and he received treatment in the field.

On the evening of the same day (10th May 2021), Anatolia Agency cameraman Mustafa Al-Nather/Iyad Al-Kharouf (34 years old) was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet while covering events at the Lion’s Gate in Jerusalem.

While Mustafa Al-Kharouf and a group of journalists were at the Lion’s Gate at around 9:00PM, on 10th May 2021, to cover the alert of the army and the evacuation of citizens and journalists in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the occupation forces started firing sound bombs and rubber bullets heavily resulting in the injury of a paramedic near Al-Kharouf vehicle. Al-Kharouf stood beside the paramedic who was alone waiting to be treated, and in the meantime he was targeted by a rubber bullet in the right side of his chest/near the shoulder, causing him pain for 9 days.

 

(10th May) The occupation soldiers assaulted Reuters cameraman Mohammad Zaki Abu Ghaniya (48 years old) while covering a demonstration at Bethlehem entrance on 10th May 2021.

Abu Ghaniya went to Bethlehem's entrance to cover the clashes between the citizens and the occupation forces stationed there. The soldiers prevented everyone from filming the events, but a young girl was filming with her mobile phone, and the occupation army officers assaulted her. The cameraman Abu Ghaniya rushed to document their assault of the girl so the soldiers assaulted and pushed him and then prevented him from coverage.

(10th May) The occupation forces assaulted most of the journalists who were at Al-Aqsa to cover and document the assaults that targeted the prayers in the Mosque, as they went there at 8:30AM.

Osaid Abdelmajeed Amarnah (35 years old), the cameraman of "Al-Jarmaq" News Website, stated to "Mada" Center, that an Israeli policeman approached him about 15 minutes after he started covering the events and clashes that took place there, and asked him to move away and stop filming. After Amarnah moved away from the clashes a distance of 15 meters, he was targeted by the same policeman with a rubber bullet. He was injured in the calf of his left leg. He couldn't find anyone to help him. He reached Al-Aqsa Clinic with difficulty, and there he waited for about three hours until he was treated and given an injection (due to the intensity of the events and the number of injured). That evening his condition worsened and he went to Beit Jala Governmental Hospital where his leg was imaged and a minor fracture (hairline fracture) was found in his leg.

Among the journalists who got injured the journalist Liwa’ Abu Rmailah, the reporter of Media Port Company. She was injured by a rubber-coated metal bullet in her left leg and received field treatment. Moreover, the reporter of Ma'an News Agency, Maysa Abu Ghazalah was injured by two sound bombs in her right leg and chest. She received field treatment from the paramedics who were there (her colleague Liwa’ was instructed by the paramedics and helped her). But then, about two hours later, as a result of heavy bleeding in her leg and chest, she went to a medical center with the help of her brother (paramedic) and sister (doctor), and there she received the necessary treatment. Maysa did not go to work due to the injury, as she was no longer able to walk for two weeks, and she continued to suffer from shortness of breath.

(10th May) Anatolia Turkish Agency reporter Asad Furat (31 years old) was injured by a sound bomb in the abdomen while covering clashes in the City of Jerusalem.

At about 1:00PM, on May 10, 2021, while Anatolia Agency reporter Asad Furat was accompanied by his coworker, the Regional Director of Anatolia Agency, journalist Turgut Alp, along with a number of other journalists in the Lion’s Gate area in Jerusalem, they entered Al-Aqsa Mosque to cover the events therein (they were not wearing the press uniforms because the Israeli police were preventing journalists from entering). The police started firing sound bombs at everyone at the Lion’s Gate. One of the policemen aimed his weapon at them so they shouted that they were journalists. However, he did not care and the soldiers continued firing sound bombs, one of which injured the journalist Asad Furat in the right side of his abdomen. 

The Regional Director of Anatolia Agency, journalist Turgut Alp, was injured twice while covering the events in Jerusalem. The first was at 8:00PM, on 7th May 2021 while covering demonstrations in Al-Aqsa when he was injured by a rubber bullet in his right leg after the occupation forces fired bullets and gas bombs at the demonstrators and journalists. The second was on 10th May 2021 at around 12:00 after midnight while he was covering the events at Al-Aqsa Mosque as he was injured by a rubber bullet in his right thigh and was transferred to the French Hospital for treatment.

 

(11th May) The Israeli Occupation forces arrested the freelance journalist Mohammad Nimr Aseedah (36 years old) after storming his house located in Til Town, Nablus, at around 2:20AM, on Tuesday, corresponding 11th May 2021, and transferred him to Hiwarah Military Center according to his wife Naheel. Mohammad contacted his family on the following morning and told them that he was at Salem Investigation Center, and that he was questioned and taken to Howarah Center. On 18th May 2021, he was transferred to Majdo Prison and sentenced to 6 months of administrative detention.

 

(12th May) The Israeli occupation forces arrested the journalist Hazem Imad Nasser (30 years old), the cameraman of Al-Ghad TV while passing the Israeli military checkpoint at Innab Village entrance, northern Tulkarem.

At around 1:30PM, on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, after Hazem Nasser and journalist Khaled Budair finished their coverage of the events at Hawara checkpoint at the entrance to Nablus, they headed back to the city of Tulkarm, and each of them was in his vehicle. There they found the army closing the checkpoint and searching the people passing thoroughly hindering their passage. Khaled went to another alternative and long road, but Hazem waited to pass through the checkpoint, and they kept in contact by phone. When Hazem approached the checkpoint to pass and while there were two vehicles only in front of him, he hung up and locked the phone. Khaled was trying to contact him to find out what happened but in vain. It turned out later that he had been arrested. Immediately after his arrest, he was detained for 11 days, and on 20th May 2021 his detention was extended for 11 days, and it was extended again for another eight days. Then he was taken to the Jalameh investigation center.

(13th May) Anatolia Turkish Agency staff was directly bombarded while driving in the Agency’s vehicle in Al-Sheikh Zayed, Gaza, resulting in their injury as a result of the rocket that landed near their vehicle fired by an Israeli warplane.

Anatolia Agency's videographer, Mohammad Jamal Al-Aloul (34 years old), stated that while he was in Anatolia Agency’s vehicle on Thursday, corresponding 13th May 2021, accompanied by his coworker, the Agency’s cameraman, Mustafa Hassounah, along with the journalist Daoud Abu Al-Kas, who works as a cameraman for "Palestine Today" in addition to the driver. The vehicle was riding in Al-Sheikh Zayed area. An Israeli warplane fired a missile that landed next to the vehicle from the side where he (Mohammad Al-Aloul) was sitting. This resulted in his injury by a fragment in his lip, and a fragment that went through his left thigh (causing an entrance and exit). This caused him injury in the nerve of the left leg, while another fragment entered his left knee (causing an entrance and exit as well). The driver lost control over the vehicle as soon as it was bombed. Immediately after his injury, the board opened the door of the vehicle and he jumped to the ground. He called for help from those around and he was taken to the Indonesian Hospital, where he received first aid. From there he was transferred to Al-Quds Hospital, where it was found that there was harm caused to the nerve in his leg, and therefore, he underwent an operation for the nerve of his leg the next day.

 

(17th May) WAFA Agency reporter, Mashhour Hassan Al-Wahwah was injured by a gas bomb in his left leg, fired at him by the occupation soldiers while covering events in Kharasa, Dura, Hebron, on Monday, corresponding 17th May 2021.

At around 9:00PM, on Monday, Al-Wahwah went to Kharasa, in Dura, to cover clashes that erupted between Palestinian demonstrators and the occupation forces. In the meantime, the occupation soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber bullets at the demonstrators and journalists which resulted in the injury of Al-Wahwah by a gas bomb aimed directly at his left leg. His injury was described as minor, and he received first aid in the field and left at around 10:00PM.

 

The Destruction of Al-Jawhara Tower (consisting of 16 media headquarters and offices).

(11th May) The Israeli occupation army has bombarded and destroyed Al-Jawhara Tower consisting of 10 floors (each floor is 1000 square meters), central Gaza City. It is noteworthy that the Tower consists of 16 media officers and headquarters, namely: Palestine Daily Newspaper, the only daily newspaper published in Gaza Strip, the National Media Agency that consists of seven Arab TV channels, namely (Al-Mamlakah TV, Syria TV, Syrian TV, Al-Arabi TV, Al-Itijah TV, Al-Najba’ TV, Al-Sharq TV), Al-Kofiya TV, Al-Bawabah 24 News Portal, Media Professionals Forum, APA Local Agency, Media Group Company, Sabaq 24 Agency, and the Youth Media Center. These were all destroyed which resulted in substantial losses, not to mention paralyzing its ability for coverage and removing these institutions from the field of work (at least temporarily), knowing that hundreds of male and female employees work therein.

The Tower was destroyed at around 2:00AM, on Tuesday, corresponding 11th May 2021, by missiles fired by F16 Warplanes. It took place about 18 hours after the warning missiles were fired, as the Israeli army targeted the foundations of the building with two missiles, but the tower did not collapse. Two hours later, the occupation warplanes fired two more missiles at the Tower but it did not collapse either even though the three lower floors thereof were destroyed[1]. Al-Jazeera TV broadcasted the bombing and destruction of the Tower live.

 

Palestine Newspaper:

The Managing Editor of Palestine Newspaper, which is regularly issued on a daily basis since 2007, Mufeed Abu Shamala stated to "Mada" that the newspaper's headquarters has been located in Al-Jawhara Tower since 2010, (the third floor) and it consists of 8 offices open to each other (the entire floor), for the various departments and divisions (Editorial Department, Financial Department, Accounting, Directing, Newsroom, Electronic, and Digital Media Department, Proofreading, Book Department, Editorial Secretary, Secretary, Archive, Advertising Department, Computer Engineering, and Photography Department). A total of 86 employees work in the Newspaper’s Office. The destruction of its headquarters located in the Tower that was targeted has led to the suspension of the issuance of the paper version of the newspaper. Currently, the newspaper is issued electronically only, as some employees were able to take their computers after they received the warning of the occupation on bombing the building, which allowed the continuation of issuing the newspaper electronically.

 

 

The Managing Editor of the Newspaper, Mufeed Abu Shamala, has estimated the financial loss by about 1,200,000USD, including the losses in the property, furniture, and equipment, not to mention the other losses such as the destruction of the paper archive of the Newspaper.

 

Media Professionals Forum

The Director of the "Palestinian Media Professionals Forum", Mohammad Ismail Yassin, stated that the Forum's headquarters is located in an apartment on the fifth floor of Al-Jawhar Tower, where 4 employees work, and that the headquarters was completely destroyed, including furniture and equipment. He added that it is difficult at present to estimate the losses to the Forum due to the destruction of its headquarters.

 

APA Local Agency

The Director-General of APA Local Agency, Numan Omar Ishtiwi, stated that the Agency's headquarters located on the fifth floor of Al-Jawhara Tower, which is one apartment, was completely destroyed, pointing out that 8 employees worked for the Agency, and that three of them were inside the headquarters when it was warned that the headquarters will be bombarded. They were able to take out the main server and archive only from the headquarters within 15 minutes after the roof knocking missiles were fired while some of the cameras were with the employees outside.

 

He estimated the Agency's losses as a result of the destruction of its headquarters at about 100,000USD, including furniture and decoration, and various devices and equipment.

 

Media Group Company

The CEO of Media Group, Ismail Hamada, stated to MADA that the Company's headquarters, which consisted of 3 apartments on the sixth floor of Al-Jawhara Tower, was completely destroyed, knowing that 7 employees work therein providing media services to various TV channels. Three of the Company's employees were present at the headquarters on the day it was targeted, one of whom was Mohammed Arouk (21 years old) an assistant cameraman, who had bruises on various parts of his body.

Hamada estimated the company's losses between 38,000USD-45,000USD, which consist of appliances, equipment, and office furniture, not to mention the price of the apartments owned by the Company, which is estimated at about 180,000USD.

 

Sabaq 24 Agency

The editor-in-chief of "Sabq 24" News Agency stated that the Agency's headquarters is located on the eighth floor of Al-Jawhara Tower, and has 15 employees. The headquarters has been evacuated since the roof knocking missile was fired by the occupation. Only a camera and four laptops were saved from the Agency before it was bombarded. The headquarters was destroyed including the studio with its entire equipment. It is worth noting that the Agency provides visual content broadcast on its YouTube channel. He said that it is currently difficult to count the losses caused by the destruction of its headquarters, including furniture and equipment.

 

The Youth Media Center

The Production Director of the Media Youth Center, Ibrahim Mohammad Muqbel, stated that the Center’s headquarters, which is located on the third floor of Al-Jawhara Tower, is basically one apartment owned by the Center. It was completely destroyed, but no one was inside when it was targeted. He clarified that 20 employees are working for the Center that operates in the media field documenting the interactions across the social media, and provides guidance in this regard. He added that it is difficult at this point to estimate the financial losses caused to the Center including the price of the apartment (the headquarters), furniture, decoration, and various appliances that were entirely destroyed.

The National Media Agency

(11th May) The occupation destroyed the National Media Agency offices located on three floors of Al-Jawhara Tower in Gaza, bombarded by the Israeli Occupation Army on 11th May 2021.

The Location Manager of the National Media Agency, Asem Mohammad Shehada, stated that the Agency has eight apartments and leases another four at Al-Jawhara Tower. It provides media services for seven television channels, namely: Al-Mamlakah, Syria, Syrian TV, Al-Arabi, Al-Itijah, Al-Najba’, Al-Sharq.

There are 35 employees working in the Agency, while only one employee works in each of the remaining offices except for Al-Arabi Channel in which five employees work. That is, the total number of employees of the Agency is 46.

Targeting Al-Jawhara Tower resulted in the destruction of the headquarters of the National Media Agency entirely (including the appliances, equipment, studios). It is difficult to count the financial damages caused until the moment.

 

Al-Kofiya TV

(11th May) The occupation army bombarded and destroyed Al-Kofiya TV offices located in Al-Jawhara Tower, on 11th May 2021. It was located on two floors of the building. It has two apartments on the 8th floor and it is renting another office for management on the 7th floor. Its offices were destroyed completely as a result of targeting the upper floors directly with roof knocking missiles. Moreover, the furniture, decoration, lighting, equipment, and studio were also destroyed as stated by Ahmad Kamal Harb, the Director of Al-Kofiya TV Office. There are 75 employees who work for the office as reporters, program preparers, technicians, cameramen, broadcast engineers, and others. At the moment, it is difficult to count the losses resulting thereunder.

Al-Bawabah 24 Portal

(11th May) The headquarters of Al-Bawabah News Portal at Al-Jawhara Tower in Gaza was targeted by the occupation army and destroyed on 11th May 2021.

The Website was founded on 24th Feb. 2021, by journalists Maysoun Wasfi Kuhail (46 years old), and Omniya Masoud Abu Al-Khair. The headquarters was completely destroyed including the devices and furniture. Basically, it is an apartment on the fifth floor of Al-Jawhara Tower.

(11th May) Al-Kofiya TV reporter, Thaer Fahed Abu Aoun (33 years old), experienced partial destruction and severe damage caused by bombing Al-Jawhara Tower, noting that Abu Aoun’s house is located about 20 meters away from the Tower bombarded and destroyed by the Occupation. Some of the walls of his house were cracked, knowing that no one from his family was in the house that was evacuated before targeting Al-Jawhara Tower.

Bombing and Destroying Al-Shorouq Tower

(12th May) On Wednesday, corresponding 12th May 2021, the Israeli army destroyed Al-Shorouq Tower, located in Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City, consisting of 15 floors, which are the offices and headquarters of several media institutions, not to mention the headquarters of private companies and commercial shops. It was completely bombarded and destroyed 15 minutes after the warning call made by the Israeli army with the building’s guard, followed by firing a roof knocking missile. After another 15 minutes, the building was entirely bombarded and destroyed with three missiles fired by F-16 warplanes.

Ibrahim Mohammad Thaher (43 years old), the Director of Al-Aqsa TV, stated that the destruction of the channel headquarters, located in Al-Shorouq Tower since 2018, composed of six rented apartments distributed into four floors (each floor of the building consists of 4 apartments). There are 200 employees who work at Al-Aqsa TV. The headquarters was entirely destroyed including its equipment, studios, and offices. The losses of the channel are estimated at 1,000,000USD. It is noteworthy that none of the employees was injured due to the bombardment and destruction.

The headquarters of Aqsa UHF is located on the 13th floor of the building, which is one rented apartment. It has a huge tower on the roof of the building, and one studio. None of its equipment was evacuated given its enormous size. Its losses are estimated at 1,000,000USD, noting that 15 employees work therein.

As for Al-Aqsa Radio, located on the 3rd floor of Al-Shorouq Tower, it is two apartments, one owned by the radio and the other rented. There are 60 employees working on the radio. Its losses are estimated at 200,000USD. The employees were able to save the broadcast device from the destruction.

 

Al-Jalaa Tower consisted of headquarters and offices of six media institutions, namely: Al-Jazeera TV, Al-Jazeera Radio-Gaza, Associated Press (American Agency), Al-Asra Radio, Al-Quds Radio Studio, and Al-Mayadeen Media Company.

 

Bombing Al-Jazeera

The headquarters consists of Al-Jazeera TV and Al-Jazeera Radio.

Al-Jazeera TV reporter in Gaza, Hisham Sameer Zaqout (37 years old) stated that the Israeli occupation warplanes, on 15th May 2021, fired a number of roof knocking missiles at Al-Jalaa Tower located in Ahmad Abdelaziz street, central Gaza City. This took place half an hour after the Tower owner received a phone call from the Israeli army informing him to evacuate the Tower as the army is targeting it. Ten minutes later, the Tower was targeted at 3:30PM on that day with three missiles fired by Israeli warplanes resulting in its complete destruction.

Zaqout clarified that 23 employees work for Al-Jazeera office that was entirely destructed. Due to the bombing, the Office lost most of its equipment, including the broadcast devices, computers, televisions, cables, archives and others, except for the cameras that Al-Jazeera staff was used in covering the events.

Al-Jazeera Office Director in Gaza Strip, Wael Hamdan Al-Dahdouh (50 years old), stated that after the warning of the Israeli army that it intends to bomb Al-Jalaa Tower where Al-Jazeera Office is located, some of the employees were able to evacuate some equipment, including cameras and some personal belongings. Through the owner of the Tower, they requested from the army to give the media institutions located therein some time to evacuate their equipment. However, the army refused and stated that the missile will be fired at any moment.

He added: the channel’s loss is very great, as all the equipment for broadcasting and recording, most of which are very expensive, have been destroyed, as well as the archive, which contains thousands of hours of filmed material, in addition to the editing and filming equipment, and the furniture. The value of these is hundreds of thousands of dollars, and we have not yet been able to count the entire losses.

In addition to this, after the truce entered into force on Friday, May 21, 2021, the accounts of Al-Jazeera reporters, Wael Al-Dahdouh, Hisham Al-Zaqout, and news producers, Mo’men Al-Sharafi and Khaled Labbad, were banned by WhatsApp, as they all received messages from the Company on the suspension of their accounts without clarifying the reasons thereof. The Company was contacted through Al-Jazeera Office in Doha, and so far there is no clear response in particular.

 

Associated Press Agency

The headquarters of the American News Agency in Al-Jalaa Tower was destroyed, and we were unable to take direct statements from the employees or management of the headquarters.

"We are shocked and horrified that the Israeli army targeted and destroyed the building that houses the Associated Press Office and other news organizations in Gaza. They have known for a long time the location of our office and they knew that the journalists were there. We received a warning that the building will be bombed”, the Agency's CEO, Gary Pruitt, stated.

“We are seeking information from the Israeli Government and are engaged with the U.S. State Department to try to learn more,” he added.

“This is an incredibly disturbing development. We narrowly avoided a terrible loss of life. A dozen Associated Press journalists and freelancers were inside the building and thankfully we were able to evacuate them in time,” he stated.

“The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today,” he concluded.

 

“Sawt Al-Asra” and “Al-Quds” Radios

Ayman Labbad, the Director of Sawt Al-Asra Radio, stated that both Sawt Al-Asra and Al-Quds Radios broadcast through the same wave and network, and that the headquarters of Sawt Al-Asra is located on the fourth floor of Al-Jalaa Tower, and when the occupation notified its intention to destroy Al-Jalaa Tower, a number of the Radio employees were present, but they left immediately upon the notification. He clarified that the losses of Sawt Al-Asra Radio are estimated at 400,000USD, including the value of the headquarters, the furniture, the offices, the broadcast devices, two power generators, the studios and antennas, the computers, the audio mixer, the audio and power networks. There are 30 employees who work for the Radio.

As for Al-Quds Radio, it only has one small room in Al-Jalaa Tower, on its first floor, with an area of 20 square meters only. Basically, it was a studio room, noting that the main headquarters of Al-Quds Radio is located on the 7th floor of Al-Shawwa Tower.

 

Al-Mayadeen Company

Faris Marwan Al-Ghoul, the CEO of Al-Mayadeen Company, which provides satellite broadcasting and production services for local and foreign channels, stated that the Company’s headquarters, located on the third floor of Al-Jalaa Tower, was destroyed. The Director of the Company and one of its staff were inside the headquarters when they were notified of the bombing of the building. The losses of the Company, as a result of its destruction, are estimated at 80,000USD, including the value of furniture, equipment, cameras, and broadcasting devices.

(15th May) Birzeit Media Development Center located in Tamouh building was partially destroyed as a result of bombing and destroying Al-Jalaa Tower by the occupation army as it is 20 meters away from the Center.

The Director of Birzeit Media Development Center in Gaza, Fathi Al-Sabbah, stated that the Center's roof was completely destroyed and collapsed as a result of bombing and destroying the nearby Al-Jalaa Tower, in addition to other damages caused to the Center.

(13th May) The occupation army bombed the 15-floor Al-Susi Tower, in the industrial city central Gaza, at 6:00AM on Thursday, corresponding 13th May 2021, which caused the destruction of the headquarters of Alam News for Media Production, which consisted of one apartment rented in the same Tower.

The targeting and bombing of the Tower led to cracked walls of the headquarters of "Alam News for Media Production", breaking its windows and destroying and damaging most of the equipment and devices therein such as the cameras and lenses, as well as the office furniture and decorations. It is worth noting that the employees managed to get some cameras out of the headquarters before the building was bombed. Wissam Abu Zeid, the Company's Director, estimated the losses as a result of the bombing at about 5,000 USD, knowing that the headquarters is rented.

 

Bombing Filastiniyat Headquarters (Al-Shawwa Building)

(17th May) The coordinator of Falastiniyat Office in Gaza, Mona Khader, stated that the warplanes of the occupation targeted Ghazi Al-Shawwa building located in Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City at approximately 4:00PM, on Monday, May 17, 2021, with two missiles suddenly and without firing any roof knocking missiles as used to do. This resulted in severe damage to the building, including Falastiniyat headquarters located on the second floor. The damage caused thereby has not been counted so far, knowing that five female employees work in Falastiniyat headquarters in Gaza, and none of them were in the headquarters at the time of the bombing.

(18th May) The occupation forces destroyed Sameer Mansour Library, which is a library and a publishing house.

Sameer Mansour, the owner, and director of the Library and Publishing House, stated that the occupation army, on the evening of Tuesday, corresponding 18th May 2021, targeted Kuhail Building located in Al-Thalatheni street where the main and larger headquarters of Mansour Library is located in Gaza, with a roof knocking missile. He also stated that he went to take some documents out of the Library/Publishing House, however, the occupation army destroyed the Library and building with a missile fired by an Israeli warplane, at around 6:00PM on that day. It is worth noting that the Library was established in 2000 and it is also a publishing house that consists of no less than 100,000 books, where 15 employees work. The financial losses estimated as a result of the destruction of the Library/Publishing House are about 700,000USD. 

 

Destruction of Gaza Center for Media Freedom

(.......) A bombing operation carried out by the Israeli army caused severe damage to the headquarters of Gaza Center for Media Freedom.

Atef Juma'a Akila, an employee at Gaza Center for Media Freedom, stated that the Israeli army intended to bombard the house of Al-Dahdouh family, near the center's headquarters in Tel Al-Hawa in Gaza. As a result of the army’s bombing of the house, various damages were caused to Gaza Center for Media Freedom, as parts of the walls fell on the office furniture, and the windows were shattered, as well as the training hall that was completely destroyed. This is in addition to the destruction of a number of laptops (4 laptops were completely destroyed and 8 partially damaged), noting that 7 people work in the Center, and none of them was inside at the moment of the bombing. The Center's losses are estimated at about 12,000USD.

 

(14th May) The occupation forces bombed the family house of the journalist Faris Marwan Al-Ghoul, CEO of Al-Mayadeen Company, which is a two-floor villa west of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza on May 14, 2021. It was targeted with two shells during the random bombing of that area. There was no one in the two-floor house with an area of 400 square meters, but it was badly damaged, as the upper floor was destroyed and the first floor remained.

(16th May) The police officers attacked Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Newspaper cameraman Abdel Hakim Khaled Abu Riash (31 years old), and the freelance cameraman Mohammed Hazem Al-Masry (23 years old), while they were on their way to cover a conference held after a massacre caused by the aggression in Gaza Strip on Sunday, May 16, 2021.

At around 1:30PM on Sunday, May 16, 2021, the journalist Abdel Hakim Abu Riash and the cameraman, Mohammad Al-Masry, were on Al-Wehda Street in central Gaza. Meanwhile, a press conference was held in the same place (about 50 meters away from his location) about the massacre in which Al-Kolak family was killed. He went to the conference, and in the middle of the way to the conference was a police force, where the security forces stopped him and asked them about their destination, so he told them that he was a journalist and wanted to cover the conference, but they refused to allow him to pass. There was an argument between them, and one of the police officers hit him twice with a stick on both legs. He also damaged the camera of his colleague Mohammad Al-Masry and broke its lense. After that, the police officials came and reprimanded the policeman, apologized to the journalists, and promised to hold him accountable for assaulting them and to compensate the cameraman Al-Masry for his camera.

(11th May) Quds News Network cameraman Mutasem Samir Saqf Al-Hait (31 years old) was wounded by a rubber bullet in the right shoulder, fired by the occupation soldiers, while covering clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the occupation forces that took place on Tuesday 11th May 2021 at the northern entrance to Al-Bireh city.

 

 

(12th May) The occupation soldiers assaulted the cameraman, Ihab Issa Al-Alama, and smashed his tripod after he was covering the events in Hebron.

The freelance cameraman, Ihab Issa Al-Alama (23 years old), covered the nighttime clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the occupation soldiers that took place at Beit Ummar junction in Hebron and continued until the dawn, on 12th May, 2021. During his coverage of these events, he was standing on the roof of a house there, and after he finished the coverage at 2:30AM, he came down from the roof of the house and a soldier was there. The soldier asked him for his press card, and he gave it to him, and the soldier addressed him "You - he means journalists - say that we are criminals" and he broke the camera tripod (the stand) and threw it on the ground. Then he hit him with his hand on the neck, and then Ihab started shouting at him and they argued. The soldier continued hitting him in the leg with his rifle, which caused him severe pain.

 

(12th May) Al-Shabab Radio reporter in Gaza, Mohammad Bakr Al-Louh, (33 years old), was injured when the occupation warplanes fired roof knocking missiles at Al-Jalaa Tower before it was completely destroyed.

The journalist, Mohammad Al-Louh, went at about 8:30PM, on Thursday, May 12, 2021, and his two colleagues, Mohammad Kassab, the sound engineer at the radio station, and Mohammad Musa, who works as a cameraman for the same radio station, to cover the Israeli occupation army’s announcement of bombing Al-Jawhara Tower, located in Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood in the center of Gaza City. After they arrived, the Tower was bombed at those moments with roof knocking- missiles by the Israeli air force, which caused the journalist Al-Louh to be injured by fragments in his right leg, as well as bruises and suffocation as a result of the gas and dust from the bombing. He was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital, where he received the necessary treatment. His colleagues suffocated as a result of the gas and dust of the bombing, and they received field aid on the spot.

 

 

(14th May) Four journalists were injured by the Israeli army rubber bullets during their coverage of a demonstration at the northern entrance to Al-Bireh City, that took place on Friday, corresponding 14th May 2021, to protest against the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, and the occupation assaults in the City of Jerusalem.

 

Clashes erupted during the demonstration, during which dozens of young men threw rocks at the Israeli soldiers, while the soldiers fired gunshots, rubber bullets, and tear gas bombs extensively, which included targeting journalists who were located about 20 meters away from the soldiers who were visible to the soldiers in their press uniform. This led to the injury of Al-Hayat Al-Jadida Newspaper cameraman, Ahmad Walid Khasib (28 years old) who was shot directly in the right thigh, while the cameraman of the Turkish Anatolia Agency, Hisham Abu Shakra, was wounded with a rubber bullet and a gas bomb in the back. Issam Al-Rimawi, the cameraman of "Al-Hayat Al-Jadida" Newspaper, was also wounded by two rubber bullets hit his right and left feet, and Mutassim Samir Saqf Al-Hait, the cameraman for Quds News Network, was injured by a rubber bullet in the left thigh.

On the following day, corresponding 15th May 2021, the demonstrations and clashes took place again in the same place, and while the cameraman Issam Al-Rimawi was covering the demonstrations in the same place, which started at 1:00PM, he was again injured at around 12:00PM, by a rubber bullet in the left leg, while he was standing at a relatively close distance from the demonstrators, which forced him to leave the location after his injury as he could not continue working and returned to his house and stayed for two days.

 

(12th – 19th, May, 2021) A journalist and two graduates of media colleges in Gaza Strip were martyred within one week, as a result of the bombing carried out by the occupation army and its warplanes targeting the houses of their families in Gaza Strip, during its 11-day aggression on the Strip.

The broadcaster of "Sawt Al-Aqsa" Radio, journalist Yousef Mohammad Abu Hussein, was martyred after his house was targeted in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza by the occupation army at dawn on Wednesday 19th May 2021.

Three days earlier, the media graduate, Abdul Hamid Al-Kolak, on Sunday morning, 16th May 2021, was martyred following the bombing of his family’s house in the center of Gaza City. He graduated from Al-Azhar University and was martyred at the age of 23 years old as a result of targeting his family's house.

On May 12, 2021, a journalism graduate, Mohammad Shaheen, was martyred as a result of the bombing of his house in the city of Deir Al-Balah in Gaza Strip, noting that Shaheen completed his studies in journalism and graduated in 2012.

 

(13th May) Palestine TV reporter in Nablus, Khalil Mohammad Abu Arab (50 years) was wounded by a rubber bullet in the right leg while covering clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers at Hawara military checkpoint on Thursday evening.

The journalist Abu Arab, Palestine TV reporter, and his colleague, the cameraman Samer Habash, were preparing to broadcast a direct message to Palestine TV at 7:30PM, on Thursday 13th May 2021 about the events that were taking place at Hawara checkpoint, from a middle area between the demonstrators on one side and soldiers of the occupation army from the other side, noting that the soldiers were located at a distance of about 20 meters away from them. In the meantime, the soldiers started firing tear gas bombs and rubber bullets at the demonstrators to disperse them, and the soldiers also fired about 10 tear gas bombs at the TV staff, causing them to suffocate severely and preventing them from completing the live coverage. The soldiers also fired rubber-coated metal bullets at those moments, one of which hit the journalist Abu Arab in the muscle of his right leg.

 

(18th May) The cameraman Jamal Shehadeh Rayan (50 years old) was shot in the right leg with a "toto" bullet while covering the clashes at Hawara checkpoint on Tuesday, May 18th.

The photojournalist for Nablus Municipality Jamal Rayan (50 years old), at about 5:15PM, in the afternoon on May 18, 2021, was at Hawara military checkpoint, which is located at the southern entrance to the city of Nablus. Rayan began preparing for a live broadcast where a Palestinian demonstration was taking place. About 3 minutes after he started broadcasting, he headed towards a group of his fellow journalists who were standing in a location far from the demonstrators, and when he became about 4 meters away from them, the Israeli occupation army soldiers were at a distance of about 20 meters from them. While he was trying to cross a metal barrier separating him from the journalists, he saw an army officer pointing at him with his hand. Immediately he was targeted by a “toto” bullet that hit him in the right leg (above the knee – causing an entrance and exit), even though he was wearing the full press uniform. His injury caused the smash of his Nikon D810 camera as it hit the metal barrier when he got injured, as he was filming at the moment and broadcasting live the development of events. The journalist was immediately transferred to Rafidia Governmental Hospital, where he arrived at 6:00PM, and left the hospital after two and a half hours of receiving treatment there.

 

(18th May) Four journalists were severely suffocated after being targeted by the occupation soldiers deliberately, while they were covering a demonstration, and clashes with rocks that took place at the southern entrance to the city of Jericho.

The journalists, Palestine TV reporter, Omar Ahmad Abu Awad (35 years old), the freelance journalist Mohammad Jawad Zaghab (29 years old), Suleiman Abu Srour, and Adel Abu Nima, arrived at about 4:50PM, on Tuesday 18th May 2021, to the southern entrance of Jericho.

 

Where a demonstration was taking place to protest against the attacks of the Israeli occupation, and the four journalists were wearing the known press uniform and standing together at a distance of about 200 meters away from the Israeli soldiers and about 100 meters away from the demonstrators who were throwing rocks at the occupation soldiers. Meanwhile, the occupation soldiers targeted them, without any justification, by firing about 30 gas bombs causing them to suffocate. The Palestine TV reporter Omar Abu Awad suffered the most, as he fell to the ground, and the freelance journalist Mohammad Zaghab, who began to seek aid and assistance to be taken away. After an ambulance arrived near the journalists, Mohammad Zoghab headed towards it, but due to his injury and lack of vision, he collided with a steel grid, causing severe injuries to his face. He was transferred to Jericho Hospital, where he was given first aid and his wound was treated with several stitches, while his colleague Omar was given oxygen to rescue him from the suffocation he was exposed to. As for their colleagues, Abu Surur and Abu Nima, they received first aid at the site upon their injury and were not taken to the hospital.

 

(18th May) Israeli security forces assaulted the freelance journalist Latifa Abdel Latif while she was covering clashes in Al-Amour Gate area in the occupied city of Jerusalem on Tuesday, 18th May while she was covering the clashes and took off her veil.

 

(19th May) The photojournalist Mohammad Akashah Dahlan was injured due to the Israeli army bombing a house in Gaza Strip.

Muhammad Akashah Dahlan (34 years old), a videographer with the Turkish Anatolia Agency, and his colleague, the cameraman, Ali Jadallah, went at 12:15PM, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, to Tel Al-Hawa area, opposite the Ministry of Prisoners, after receiving a notification that the occupation army threatens to bomb a house there. After they reached the aforementioned location, it was found that the house had been targeted with a reconnaissance missile (roof knocking), and while the cameraman Dahlan was near the house taking some pictures, the Israeli army bombed the house with a missile, but this time destroyed the house entirely resulting in flying rubble. The journalist Dahlan was unable to avoid the bombing, as he was injured in the right thigh, below the knee, and in the pelvic as a result of pieces of flying rubble. He was subsequently transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital, where his legs were imaged an x-ray and ultrasound. He received the necessary treatment and left the hospital after about two hours.

 

(21st May) The Israeli police and security forces assaulted 4 photojournalists while covering Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, followed by clashes that took place in the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Clashes erupted between the prayers and the occupation forces at about 1:30PM on Friday, May 21, 2021, during which the Israeli security forces assaulted dozens of prayers and journalists, including: Karim Asaad Khader (45 years old), a CNN cameraman, Fayez Abu Rumaila, and Nasser Abdel-Jawad Atta (58 years old), from the US Agency, and Ahmed Gharabli (40 years old), a cameraman for the French News Agency AFP, while covering these events. These journalists were attacked with batons and pushed away from the events not to mention prevented from coverage. The most severe of these attacks were against the cameraman Ahmed Gharabli, who was forced by the police to leave the "safe" place where he was standing and to stand next to the demonstrators. After a verbal altercation between them, a policeman beat him more than eight times with a stick on his legs, and even chased him everywhere he went to beat him. He continued to chase him several times until he grabbed the journalist Ghrabli by the neck and pushed him. On the third time, the policeman pointed the weapon at his back to force him to leave the place. Ghrabli had to leave the place around 3:30PM, and went to the health clinic where his leg was imaged an x-ray and he was given treatment. It turned out that he had many bruises on both legs, which led to his inability to walk. Ahmad contacted the management of the French Agency and was promised that a complaint would be filed through the Agency’s lawyer against the assaulting policeman. As to Karim Khader, a CNN cameraman, he received treatment at Al-Aqsa clinic, and it was found that he had a torn muscle in his legs as a result of being hit with sticks.

 

(21st May) The journalist Rima Ibrahim Abu Hamdiya suffocated while covering a demonstration at the northern entrance to the city of Hebron.

The journalist Rima Abu Hamdiya, a reporter for Al-Araby TV, arrived at approximately 12:45PM, on Friday, May 21, 2021 to cover clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the occupation forces at the northern entrance to the city of Hebron. A group of journalists, including Raed Al-Sharif, Shadi Zama’ra, and Jamil Salhab were also there to cover that demonstration, when the occupation forces started firing sound and gas bombs at the demonstrators, while the journalists were at a distance of about 200 meters away from the soldiers, in a middle area between the demonstrators and the soldiers who were firing rubber bullets and tear gas bombs in various directions, including towards the group of journalists. At about 1:30PM, an army jeep approached the journalists and asked them to move away. After the jeep retreated, it began firing tear gas bombs at the journalists. One of the bombs nearly hit journalist Rima in the head, and she was severely suffocated.

 

(19th May) The Israeli bombing operations during the aggression on Gaza Strip, on May 19, 2021, caused severe material damage to two vehicles belonging to the Government Information Office, while the Office’s staff was near Al-Rimal Clinic in the Ministry of Health when the place was targeted by bombing, according to the Director of the Information Office, Salamah Marouf.

 

(16th May) The occupation army destroyed the house of the reporter of Palestine Newspaper in Gaza, Alaa Rizk Shamali, which is located in a 5-floor residential building in Al-Rimal area, central Gaza. It was targeted and completely destroyed by the occupation army. There was no opportunity for the journalist Shamali or any of the residents of that building to take anything out of their apartments, as the occupation forces warned that they intended to destroy the building. After about 5 minutes, they indeed destroyed the building. It is noteworthy that this is the second time that the house of the journalist, Shamali, has been bombed and destroyed, as it was previously destroyed during the 2014 War on Gaza.

 

(15th May) The freelance photojournalist Abdullah Salah Kodmani was wounded by a direct sound bomb fired by an Israeli policeman while covering a sit-in and clashes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Jerusalem.

The freelance photojournalist Abdullah Kodmani (35 years old), on Saturday, May 15, 2021, was covering the events that took place in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, and at about 7:00PM, the citizens talked about the settlers’ intention to storm the neighborhood. In the meantime, they were minor clashes taking place between the citizens and the Israeli police. The cameraman, Kodmani, stood on a small hill about 4 meters high while filming what was happening, about 10 meters away from the police officers. At that point, he was targeted by a sound bomb fired by a police officer, wounding him in the left leg. On the next day, he felt the pain caused by his injury increasing, so he went to a medical center and there the wound was dressed, as it turned out that it was inflamed. The doctor prescribed him painkillers. He stayed at home for a week, as he was unable to walk due to his injury.

 

(19th May) The occupation army bombed and destroyed the house of freelance photojournalist Mohammad Mahmoud Shabat (49 years old), east of Beit Hanoun in Gaza Strip.

On the morning of May 13, 2021, the occupation forces bombed the house next to the house of journalist Mohammad, which led to immediate evacuation, while a roof knocking missile was fired at the house of journalist Mohammad Shabat at approximately 2:30PM on Wednesday, 19th May 2021, followed by an F-16 missile, which led to its complete destruction.

 

(13th May) At approximately 8:30PM, on Thursday, May 13, 2021, the Israeli army fired a shell at a distance of 10 meters away from the house of the program's presenter of Watan Radio, in Gaza, journalist Abdel Hamid Mohammad Abdel Atti, which led to the burning of the house. The journalist Abdel Atti was injured and bruised, as the explosion threw him several meters while he was standing at the entrance to his house.

 

(27th May) On Thursday, May 27, 2021, the occupation forces arrested the reporter of Al-Kofiya TV in Jerusalem, Zina Mazen Al-Halawani (24 years old), and her colleague, the cameraman, Wahbi Kamel Makiya (38 years old), while they were preparing a report on the occupation’s attacks in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood where Palestinian families are threatened with displacement and the seizure of their homes for settlers.

The police officers assaulted journalist Zina and her colleague Makiya during their arrest, and on the evening of Monday, May 31, 2021, that is, three days after their arrest, the occupation authorities released Zina and Makiya, under the condition of house confinement until Friday (4th June 2021), and exclusion from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood for a month, as well as a fine of 2,000NIS each, and no communication between Halawani and Makiya for 15 days.

 

(15th May) The freelance journalist Muein Al-Dabbah was wounded by fragments from a missile during the bombing of Al-Jalaa Tower at Ahmed Abdel Aziz Street in the center of Gaza City.

The journalist Muein Tayseer Al-Dabbah (33 years old), went to cover the bombing of Al-Jalaa Tower, at 3:30PM, on Saturday, corresponding 15th May 2021. The journalist was covering the bombing on his page of Facebook followed by 14k. the Israeli army bombed the Tower with three roof knocking missiles fired by a reconnaissance aircraft. When the building was bombed with the first missile fired by an F16 warplane, Al-Dabbah was injured with a fragment in his face, lower his left eye.

On the same day, (15th May 2021) his house located in Shuja'iyya was destroyed after targeting empty agricultural lands near it with at least 5 missiles fired by F16. However, the house was empty at the time, as it was evacuated since the beginning of the events.

 

(17th May) The personal vehicle of Ma'an Agency's Manager in Gaza Strip, Imad Mahmoud Eid (48 years old), was destroyed while he was in an area near Al-Shawwa building, which was bombed and destroyed.

The journalist, Imad Eid, went at 6:00PM, in the evening on Monday 17th May 2021 to Al-Shawwa and Husay building as part of his coverage of the latest developments. While he was at a distance of 300 meters away from his destination, and relatively close to Ghazi Al-Shawwa Tower, which was bombed by the Israeli warplanes in those days, rubble flew and destroyed many vehicles in the area, including his own.

 

(17th May) The General Investigations in Gaza prevented the reporter of Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath TVs, and the reporter of "Dunia Al-Watan", Mohammad Mahmoud Awad (30 years old), from covering events in Gaza Strip.

Awad stated that he received a phone call at midnight, on Monday, corresponding 17th May 2021 from a person who introduced himself as one of the General Investigations officers. He received the call from a non-private number and was told that “there are instructions from the Leadership to prevent you from covering for Al-Arabiya, Al-Hadath and Dunia Al-Watan. Awad filed a complaint to the Government Media Office which in turn referred the journalist to the Internal Security which confirmed to the journalist that the phone call came from an official authority and the Investigations is informing him to stop working for Al-Hadath and Al-Arabiya TVs. On the following day, a statement against Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath TVs was distributed describing them as “channels of sedition” and warned the journalists to work for them.

 

(23rd May) The occupation police arrested journalist Ashwaq Rasem Abdel Wahed while she was covering the settlers' attacks in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

At 2:30PM, on Sunday, May 23, 2021, while journalist Ashwaq Abdel Wahed (28 years old), working for Jerusalem Press Center, was at Alsilsila Gate filming the settlers’ attacks in Al-Aqsa Mosque, an Israeli policeman approached her, assaulted her, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her. She was banned from filming, and her mobile phone fell and crashed, without any justification other than preventing her from coverage. The police officers arrested her and took her to Al-Qashla Center where she was informed that she did not make any violation or did anything other than filming. At 5:00PM, she was released.

 

 

(23rd May) On May 23, 2021, the Israeli occupation forces and police prevented journalists who hold an international or Palestinian press card from entering Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where the Palestinian families are threatened with displacement to give their houses to the settlers and informed them that only those who have an Israeli press card will be allowed to enter the neighborhood, as stated the photojournalist Yazan Haddad and other journalists. It should be noted that dozens of Jerusalem journalists do not hold an Israeli press card, even though they have an international or Palestinian press card or that issued by their institutions.

 

(27th May) The Preventive Security Organization in Nablus has summoned through a phone call, on Thursday, corresponding 27th May 2021, Abdelrahman Asad Aref Thaher (38 years old), who is a director and media professional, for an interview at the Organization’s headquarters in Nablus. Indeed, Thaher went on Sunday morning (29th May 2021) to the Preventive Security headquarters in Nablus. In the beginning, the investigator asked him about his post on his summons and the reason behind the post. Then he was asked about his Facebook posts and that his posts are supposed to give a unitary character and that some people may consider his posts inciting aimed at sedition. After that, another interrogator entered and had a laptop with him. He began to show Al-Thaher his posts in which he criticizes some matters, mostly about those who stir up sedition after the recent Gaza war. He had a discussion with him about these posts and the purpose thereof as well as the comments on these posts. The discussion lasted for two hours during which Al-Thaher was not abused or offended. He was released after 5 hours.

 

Violations of Social Media Companies

(15th May) Tik Tok closed Quds News Network account on the morning of 15th May 2021 without any prior warning or notification, noting that this is the second time the account of Quds News Network has been closed during the same year 2021, but it was recovered two days later. “Tik Tok” company has limited the access to the video clips for followers, from 50K to 1k or 2k. The account has been restricted with all its comments and views, according to the program presenter and director of the social media department at Quds News Network, Hamza Al-Shobaki, as he reported to Mada Center about what the account of the Network was exposed to by "Tik Tok".

Furthermore, Tik Tok, on 26th May 2021, has closed the account of “Safa” Agency without any prior warning or notification or explanation or a message.

 

(May) The Management of Facebook closed the accounts of a number of Palestinian journalists during the aggression on Gaza. Among them are: Alaa Al-Shamali, the reporter of Palestine Newspaper, Hikmat Yousef, the Director-General of the Sawa Independent Agency, Wael Iyad, the Monitoring and Content Officer of Quds News Network, Shadi Tafesh, the Officer of Rowad Al-Haqeqa Network, the freelance cameraman Anas Al-Sharif, Samah Shaheen, an editor at Amad Media, the freelance journalist Saber Abu Al-Kas, the freelance journalist Moath Abu Al-Sabah, Mohammad Al-Jamal, the reporter of Al-Hayat Newspaper, Yousef Abu Watfa, the reporter of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Website, Ghalia Hamad, the reporter of Al-Jazeera, Mohammad Al-Masry, the cameraman for Donia Al-Watan, Mohammad Awad, the reporter of Donia Al-Watan, journalist Safinaz Al-Louh, works for Amad Media Website, and the page of journalist Umniah Masoud Abu Al-Khair, works for Al-Bawabah 24 News Portal.

 

(21st May) WhatsApp banned the accounts of four employees of Al-Jazeera TV: journalists Wael Al-Dahdouh and Hisham Al-Zaqout, and news producers, Mo’men Al-Sharafi and Khaled Labbad, on Friday, corresponding 21st May 2021, the same day the ceasefire took place after 11 days of the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip. The four journalists received messages informing them that their WhatsApp accounts had been suspended, without = disclosing the reasons thereof. The Company was contacted through the Al-Jazeera Office in Doha, and so far there is no clear response about that (late May 2021).

On the same day, (21st May 2021), WhatsApp deleted the accounts of journalists: Imad Mahmoud Eid (48 years old), Director of Ma’an Agency in Gaza, Abdel Nasser Abu Aoun, the reporter of Al-Quds Local Radio, Muthanna Al-Najjar, a reporter for a number of media organizations, journalist Mohammad Muqat, the cameraman Hassan Eslaih, and the journalist Suhail Al-Moqed.

WhatsApp also deleted the accounts of journalists: Mohammad Al-Dalou, the Monitoring and Content Officer at the Al-Resala Local Newspaper, Wael Iyad, the Monitoring Officer of Quds News Network, Asaad Al-Beiruti, the Editor of Dar Al-Hayat in Washington, and Hikmat Youssef, the Director-General of Sawa Independent Agency.

 

(21st May) WhatsApp has removed a group called "Hamas Media" that includes 260 journalists on the last day of the Israeli aggression on Gaza (May 21, 2021), according to journalist Saleh Al-Masry, editor-in-chief of "Palestine Today" Agency, who is a member of this group, stated. He explained that when he tried to open his account, he was surprised by a message that his number was blocked, and the same happened with the rest of the journalists who are members of the group that was deleted.

 

(6th May) Twitter Company suspended the accounts of a group of activists and journalists before the launch of the Twitter Campaign to support the cause of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood targeting several Palestinian families threatened to seize their houses for Israeli settlers.

With the approaching date of the Israeli court hearing this case, a group of young people decided to launch a solidarity campaign with the residents of the neighborhood who are threatened with displacement by intensively tweeting the hashtag “Save Sheikh Jarrah”, and announced that at 9:00PM on May 6, 2021, the campaign will start. At the same time that the campaign was supposed to start, the accounts of a group of journalists were suspended, as they were banned to tweet or comment and their accounts were not even visible to subscribers, which is what happened with Palestine TV reporter Aseel Sobhi Eid, whose account continued to be suspended for two days. The tweets were being published after that for an entire week but the followers could not see any or like or comment on any.

Among the journalists whose accounts were suspended on Twitter: Shatha Hammad, reporter of Quds Network, journalist Diala Al-Rimawi, Lian Zidan, and Anatolia Agency cameraman Hisham Abu Shakra.

Twitter also closed Al-Bawabah 24 News Portal during the events taking place in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, and Maysoon Kahil was surprised by a message from the Company informing her to close the account for reasons of violating its standards.

In the same period, Instagram application deleted a large number of posts of the campaign of solidarity with the people of Sheikh Jarrah, “Save Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood”, but later it apologized and stated that this was an unintended mistake. However, the journalists and activists whose posts were subject to this stated that any story shared on Instagram about the cause of Jerusalem and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood does not appear to the followers.

 

 

 

[1] The building was constructed to consist of 17 floors. Only 10 floors were completed – its foundations were stronger that it supposed to be for a 10-floor building.