MADA: Unprecedented and deadly violations in July

 

 

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored an unexpected high number of very serious crimes and violations committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against Palestinian journalists and media freedoms, the most violent and dangerous of which took place in the Gaza Strip.

 

The general director of MADA, Mousa Rimawi, declared that July 2014 will be remembered as the most violent and bloody month in the history of the Palestinian press. In July 2014, 9 journalists and the media activist Najala Haj were killed. The journalists’ death toll rose to 15 at the beginning of August when 6 journalists were killed by the IOF during their gruesome attack on the Gaza Strip. So far, around 2,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 10,000 have been injured and thousands homes, schools, hospitals and mosques have been destroyed.

 

Rimawi said that in addition to the killings, many journalists were injured by IOF attacks, the houses of 16 of them were destroyed, and 8 media outlets were shelled. The Israeli army also interrupted the broadcasting of different TV and radio stations as well as media websites.

 

MADA monitored 76 media freedoms violations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during July 2014, 73 committed by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers, and 3 by Palestinian parties in the West Bank.

 

 

 

Israeli Violations in Gaza

 

Physical abuses/killings:

 

The IOF killed 15 journalists and media workers and 1 media activist during their aggression on the Gaza Strip started on 8 July 2014. 9 were killed in July and 6 in August.

 

Media workers killed during the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip

Profession	Date	Age	Name
PalMedia24 driver	9/7	30	Hamid Abdallah Shihab	1
Media activist	10/7	29	Najllah Mahmoud Al-Haj	2
Continue for TV production cameraman	20/7	26	Khalid Riyad Hamad	3
Al-Kuttab TV programmer	23/7	28	Abed Rahamn Zyad Abu Haien	4
Palestinian Public TV news editor (Hebrew News Department)	29/7	59	Baha Kamel Al-Garieb	5
Al-Hurria for Media Network correspondent	29/7	23	Ezat Slameh Duhair	6
Palestinian Public TV sport commentator	30/7	49	Ahed Afif Zaqout	7
Palestinian Network for Press and Media cameraman	30/7	26	Rami Fathi Rayan	8
Al-Aqsa TV journalist	30/7	28	Sameh Muhammad Aryan	9
Al-Risalla Weekly Newspaper editor	31/7	27	Muhmmed Majed Daher	10
Al-Aqsa Athletic website and Sada Al-Mala'eb photojournalist	1/8	21	Abdallah Nasir Fahjan	11
Palestinian Network for Press and Media cameraman	2/8	26	Mahmoud Nour Dein Al-Deri	12
Freelance journalist	2/8	24	Shadi Hamdi Ayyad	13
Saja Agency director	4/8	27	Hamadah Khalid Muqat	14
Associated Press cameraman	13/8	35	Simon Camilli (Italian)	15
Doha Center for Media Freedom employee, and  AP and AFP translator	13/8	37	Ali Shteh Abu Afesh	16

 

 

Those journalists were killed in civilian sites which are supposed to be safe for civilians, including news workers. Some of them were killed in their houses or while covering the aftermath of Israeli military operations in some residential neighborhoods. Others were deliberately targeted. For example, PalMedia Company driver Hamid Adballah Shihab was killed while he was driving a PalMedia's car carrying a 'Press’ sign, journalist Hamadah Khaled Maqat was killed by a rocket while he was walking, and Palestine Public TV sport commentator Ahed Zaqout was killed during the shelling of his house.

 

The journalists injured during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip were: hhe correspondent of Sawat Al-Sha'eb Radio Mahmoud Omar Louh, injured while covering events; the journalist Asma Ghoul, injured as a result of the shelling of a building next to her house; cameraman of Palestinian Public TV Sami Thabet, injured in the hand as a result of the Israeli shelling on Al-Aqsa Hospital while he was covering events there; the freelance journalist Anas Abu Mu'elk, injured by shrapnel in the chest during the shelling of Al-Aqsa Hospital and transferred to Turkey to receive treatment; France Press  correspondent Sakher Abu Aoun, injured after the shelling of a building 100 meters away from his house; Germany Press Agency cameraman Saber Ibrahim Nour Dein, injured as a result of the Israeli shelling on a group of journalists, civil defense and paramedics workers in Al-Shajaiya neighborhood; the video-journalist of Al-Manarah Agency Hamid Radwan Shobaki, critically injured during the shelling on Al-Shajaiya neighborhood while he was covering the events there; the correspondent of Nida Al-Watan website and cameraman of Naba Agency, Zyad Ismail Awad, injured in the left arm as a result of the bombing of his house; the broadcaster of Sawt Al-Watan Ahmad Ajallah, who sustained bruises following the shelling of the Dawod Tower where Sawt Al-Watan headquarters are located; the sound technician Muhammad Shabat, who sustained fractures in the left hand as a result of the shelling of the National Media Agency headquarters; the cameraman of Media TV Karim Hussein Tartouri, injured in the hand and finger as a result of the shelling of Al-Jawhara Tower; Associated Press of Yakoub Sami Abu Galwa, left unconscious after inhaling smoke resulting from a shelling.

 

 

Shelling of media outlets:

 

The circumstances of the Israeli crimes and attacks against journalists and media outlets during the Gaza assault indicate that some were deliberately committed to silent them. Indeed Israel did not hide the fact that it deliberately shelled the media outlets it accuses of being Hamas propaganda mouthpiece, such as Al-Aqsa TV and satellite channel. 

 

The IOF destroyed 8 media outlets in the Gaza Strip. 5 of them were targeted deliberately, i.e.: the 3 headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV and satellite channel, the office of Alwataniya Agency for Media, and Al-Jazeera TV premises. 2 media outlets were hit indirectly, the first by the shelling of a nearby building, the second by the bombing of the building inside which the outlet was located.  

 

Three headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV and satellite channel (where 325 journalists, media workers, programmers and employees work) were shelled, as well as the Alwataniya Agency for Media (where 35 journalists and employees were present). Al-Jazeera TV office was shelled a day after the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman threatened to close Al-Jazeera office. The destruction of Forsan Al-Hyrriya radio station resulted from the shelling of a nearby house. The shelling of a building where Sawt Al-Watan radio was located caused material damages and injured employees.

 

In addition to shelling and destroying media outlets, the Israeli occupation army deliberately disturbed the broadcasting of 7 radio and TV stations and websites, and used these stations to broadcast inciting messages against the Palestinian resistance, as they did in their previous attacks on the Gaza Strip. The following radio stations and websites were targeted: Al-Aqsa radio, Sawt Al-Quds radio, Sawat Al-Sha'eb, Filistin Il-Yom TV and website, Al-Ra'ei website.         

 

 

Destruction of journalists' houses and injuries:

 

16 Palestinian journalists have lost their homes as a result of Israeli bombing and shelling during the Israeli aggression on Gaza, causing injuries to the journalists and their families and leaving them displaced without shelters and other belongings. For instance, the wife and daughter of the cameraman of Palestine TV Mahmoud Athamneh were injured by the destruction of their house, and remained blocked under the rubbles for half an hour before being rescued. The house of the journalist of Al-Ra'ei agency Tawfiq Hamid was also destroyed, leaving him and his family members injured, and the journalist of Al-Risallah Newspaper Ala Rizeq Shamali lost 6 members of his family during the destruction of his house and that of his relatives nearby.

 

 

Israeli Violations in the West Bank

 

Media outlets, journalists and media workers in the West Bank were also targeted, with 24 violations monitored by MADA. This number is 71% higher than in June.

 

Israeli violations consisted in: arrest, physical abuses, shooting of live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas grenades, prevention from coverage, expulsion and detention, and confiscation and damage of equipment.

 

The Israeli occupation forces arrested 5 journalists, and raided, searched and damaged the house of another journalist who was also summoned for interrogation about his work.

 

Physical abuses:

 

The journalists injured by the IOF were: the correspondent of Palestinian Public TV in Jerusalem Kristine Rinawi, injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the shoulder while she was covering marches in Jerusalem; the cameraman of Palestine TV Ali Yassin who was injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the hand on the same occasion; the correspondent of Palestine Today (Filistin Al-Youm) TV Ahmad Budairi who was injured in the abdomen by a gas canister; the cameraman of Pal Media Agency Ahmad Jaber and sound technician Walled Matar after Israeli occupation soldiers fired gas and sound canisters at them (Jaber was injured in the right  eye and Matar in the ear); the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV Arafat Jaradat who was injured by a sound canister in the leg while he was covering events in the village of Ras Karkar near Ramallah; the cameraman of Palestinian Public TV Fadi Jaiousi who was injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the leg fired by an Israeli soldier at a distance of less than 10 meters while he was covering clashes erupted at Qalandia checkpoint; the freelance photojournalist Amjad Arafeh who was injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet while covering events in Jerusalem; the correspondent of Filistin Al-Yom TV Ahmad Budairi, injured another time while he was covering live marches in the village of El-Esawiaha near Jerusalem; the production director of Good Morning Jerusalem (Sabah Al-Khair Ya Quds), Nader Pepers, who was injured in the neck by a rubber-coated steel bullet; the correspondent of (Filistin Al-Youm) TV Jehad Barakat and the video technician Zakrya Salhi who suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation and whose broadcasting car was also hit; the photo journalist of Raya FM network Shadi Hatem who was injured in the leg by a bullet (whose source was not confirmed but which may have been fired by Israeli soldiers) while he was covering events at Qalandia checkpoint; the  photographer of Anatolia Agency Mouath Mashal, injured by the shrapnel of an explosive bullet fired by Israeli soldiers at a group of journalists and which settled in his hand (other shrapnel of the same explosive bullet hit the photojournalist of Al-Haya Al-Jadida newspaper Esam Rimawi who was standing next to him); correspondent of the Palestinian News Agency WAFA Thaer Abu Baker, who sustained serious injuries as a result of being hit by a live ammunition which penetrated his leg and reached the bone, leaving severe fractures which require at least two months for healing;  the correspondent of the Jordanian TV Rami Khatib who was injured twice by Israeli rubber-coated steel bullets while working in Jerusalem; Israeli citizens attacked a group of journalists close to Sderot, near the Gaza borders, leaving the correspondent of Al-Ghad Al-Arabi TV in London Deia Hushieh injured by a stone in the head; and a group of settlers attacked the media coordinator of the National America Radio Nuha Musleh in Jerusalem.

 

Arrests, raids and other:

 

The IOF arrested: Anin Al-Kaid Networks journalist and spokesperson Bushra Al-Tawil in her house in Albireh/Ramallah; Al-Aqsa TV cameraman Ahmad Khatib while he was traveling from Nablus to Ramallah (he was sentenced to 4 months of administrative detention); Al-Raya FM network correspondent Mahmoud Abu Khdair in his house in Jerusalem; the freelance photojournalists Iyad Salman Tawil and Abed Al-Afou Zghair after they were injured by Israeli rubber-coated steel bullets while covering events in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem (their equipment was also confiscated).

 

The IOF also raided the house of the correspondent of Al-Aqsa TV in Hebron, Ala Jaber Titi, causing various material damages. He was also summoned by the Israeli occupation intelligence services for interrogation about his work.

 

Prevention from coverage and threats by the IOF were also numerous.        

 

 

Palestinian Violations

 

3 media freedoms violations were committed by Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. The most prominent one happened when the staff of Filistine Al-Yom was prevented from coverage in Jenin city by security officers who harassed and threatened them. Filistine Al-Yom producer Mojahed Al-Sa'di was summoned to the Preventive Security headquarters, and the two video-journalists Rabei Munir and Mourad Omar were detained. Raya FM sound technician Tamer Kohlah and Asda website correspondent Qutaiba Saleh Salem were summoned by the Palestinian intelligence services for interrogation about their writings on Facebook.

 

 

Recommendations:

 

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses its deep sadness for the loss of numerous journalists and media workers.

MADA believes that they would not have died if the IOF had been hold accountable for its previous crimes against journalists, which are considered war crimes according to the Geneva Conventions which protect all civilians in case of war. Similar crimes have indeed been committed by the Israeli army during its aggressions on the Gaza Strip in 2009 and in 2012, when in total 7 journalists were killed and many media outlets headquarters were destroyed. So far nobody has been held accountable.

 

MADA condemns all the bloody Israeli violations and attacks against journalists in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank including East Jerusalem. MADA demands that the international community ensures the protection of Palestinian journalists and holds accountable those responsible for these crimes.

 

MADA condemns also all the violations committed by the Palestinian sides in the West Bank, and demands an end to the harassment of journalists for their writings so that they can work freely and enjoy freedom of expression. Those responsible of these violations must be held accountable.

 

MADA presents its condolences to the families of the killed journalists and wishes a quick recovery to those who were injured. MADA appreciates the efforts of all the Palestinian, Arab, and foreign journalists who endangered their life to cover the savage Israeli aggression on Gaza.

 

 

 

 

Details of violations

 

2/7- The Israeli occupation forces arrested  journalist Bushra Al-Taweel, the spokesperson for Aneen Al-Qaid media network, in Albireh/Ramallah city  after they raided her house. Her mother reported to MADA: “The IOF raided our house at 1:30 AM, and the Israeli officer said that Bushra was under arrest and had to go with them. After insisting I could collect her personal stuff so that she could take them with her. She added: “The lawyer told us that in the morning Bushra had been presented to the committee in charge of the released people who violate the terms of their release - since Bushra was a released prisoner. Now she is at Hasharon women’s prison near Netanya.”

2/7- The Israeli occupation forces prevented a number of journalists from covering the arrest of their colleague Bushra Al-Taweel in Al-Biereh city, and threw stun grenades at them.

Ro’ya TV’s correspondent, Ahmad Barahme, reported to MADA: “At 2 AM, I headed off with Ro’ya staff to the journalist Bushra Al-Taweel’s house in Um Al-Sharayet neighborhood - Albireh/Ramallah city, after we had heard that the IOF had raided it in order to arrest her. Before reaching the place, we wore our protective journalists’ vest and helmet. And as we got close to the place, the IOF switched on searchlights and laser lights and pointed them into our faces, they also threw a stun grenade at us, pointing with the laser light as a sign to tell us that they will shoot us if we didn’t step back and leave, and they didn’t let us do our work.”

2/7- The Palestinian intelligence service in Bethlehem summoned for investigation Qutayaba Saleh Qassem (26 years old), who supplies Asda’ website with reports and photos. He faced two investigations related to some messages he had posted on his Facebook account. Qassem reported to MADA: “I was called for investigation twice during July, the first time was on 2/7, when the Intelligence agency sent me a notification saying that I should go to their headquarter on the next day at 9 o’clock. When I went, they investigated with me for two hours in a row, and it was all about the posts I publish on my Facebook page, in addition to the place I work at, and for whom I do work, and with whom I might work in the future. They also asked me if I work for Al-Quds TV, and I told them that they have many correspondents, and I am not one of them, and if I were one of them, I wouldn’t deny it. I was released and they told me to come back on Wednesday 16/7. I went back on the date they’ve set, I waited for half an hour without being interrogated, no one talked to me, and I was released again without them setting any other dates for investigation”.

2/7- The IOF injured Palestine TV correspondent Kristin Rinawi and cameraman Ali Yassin while they were covering demonstrations in Jerusalem. Rinawi reported to MADA: “Following the kidnapping and torture to death of Mohammad Abu Khdair (16 years old) by Israeli settlers (one of the suspects confessed that they had strangled and burned him), clashes broke out between Palestinians and the IOF in the Shu’fat neighborhood, north of Jerusalem. While we were covering the fierce clashes, with the IOF shooting rubber bullets and stun grenades indiscriminately and intensively, I was injured by a rubber bullet in my right shoulder and my colleague Ali Yassin (23 years old) by a rubber bullet in his left hand. An ambulance drove us to Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem, where they made an X-rays and gave us treatment. Overall, our injuries were described as minor since the bones were not injured or hurt.”

6/7- The IOF injured 3 journalists with bullets and grenades while they were covering events in Jerusalem. Falastin Al-Yaum TV’s correspondent, Ahmad Al-Budeiri, reported to MADA: “At around 1:30 AM, while we were broadcasting the live clashes that escalated since the killing of Mohammad Abu Khdair between Palestinians and the IOF in Al-Toor neighborhood in Jerusalem, and while we journalists were standing next to the satellite broadcasting van and were wearing journalists’ safety vest with a 'Press’ reflective sign on it, the IOF shot stun grenades and percussion grenades at us. One grenade hit me in the stomach, and fragments also hit my journalist colleagues who work at Palmedia: cameraman Ahmad Jaber, who got a fragment in one of his eyes, and technician Waleed Mattar, who was injured in the ear.”

He added: “We were standing in a visible place, and everybody, including the soldiers knew we are journalists, so the intentional targeting was clear. We were close to Al-Maqased hospital and were driven there to get treatment.”

Ahmad Jaber reported to MADA: “After the fragments slightly injured me in my right eye, I was taken to Al-Maqased hospital. Doctors removed the fragment from my eye.”

6/7- The IOF arrested Al-Aqsa TV’s cameraman, Ahmad Al-Khatib. Al-Khatib’s brother Musa’b reported to MADA: “On my brother’s way from Ramallah to Nablus, on Sunday 6/7, the IOF stopped the car at Za’tara checkpoint, and after checking the identity cards of the passengers, they asked him to step out of the car, and then we’ve lost connection with him. We were later informed by the Israeli Intelligence service that he had been sent to Ofer prison, later he was sentenced to four months of administrative detainee.”

7/7-  The house of Palestine TV’s cameraman Mahmoud Al-Athamne was destroyed, and his wife and daughter were injured, when the Israeli airstrikes shelled the house of their neighbors in Khan Younis, south Gaza Strip. Al-Athamne reported to MADA: “On Thursday 7/7, at 1:00 AM, and without any warning, an F-16 shelled our neighbor’s (Mahmoud Al-Hajj) house; there were 8 persons inside. Pieces of the house were projected into my house and as a result my house’s walls and ceilings collapsed, it was a complete destruction of our house. My wife, who is in her thirties and my 8 years daughter, stayed under the rubbles before they both could be rescued; my wife stayed for 20 minutes and my daughter for 30 minutes. Both my wife and daughter were taken to Nasser governmental hospital in Khan Younis. My wife is still at the Intensive Care Unit, while my daughter suffers bruises in different parts of her body. There is a huge material loss in the house including damaged media equipment.”

7/7- The Israeli occupation forces intentionally disrupted Al-Aqsa radio station’s broadcasting, in addition to using Al-Aqsa radio waves to broadcast inciting messages against Hamas. Al-Aqsa’s public relations officer, Hasan Al-Najjar, reported to MADA: “The disruption of Al-Aqsa radio station started on the first day of the Israeli attack on Gaza. It took place at different times in the morning and evening, and was focused on the border areas. We were able to overcome the disruption through the strong broadcasting. Some inciting messages against Hamas were intermittently broadcasted, such as that Hamas is the one who kills its own people, but these statements were not clearly understandable. This is not the first attack of this kind on Al-Aqsa radio station, the same happen in 2012 and 2008 (during the Israeli aggressions).”

7/7- Israeli settlers attacked the National American Radio’s media coordinator, Nuha Musleh, while she was reporting in Jerusalem. She got bruises and fissure in her neck as a result. Musleh reported to MADA: “We were in the Old City of Jerusalem, interviewing people about the situation in the city and the continuous attacks the Palestinian people face from the IOF and settlers. While we were interviewing a woman, some extremist settlers attacked us - we had not notice their presence at all – throwing a big stone which hit my right shoulder and caused some bruises. The woman whom I was interviewing was also injured in the chest. Some Palestinian youngsters chased the settlers and took them to the police station. I went to Al-Rajihi medical center in Kafr Aqab and then to Hadasa hospital in Ein Karem for treatment, I was told that I have bruises in my shoulder and a fissure in my neck.”

 

8/7- The IOF targeted in a direct way Palestinian Public TV cameraman Arafat Jaradat with a tear gas bomb in his leg while he was preparing to cover clashes in Ras Karkar village west of Ramallah. Jaradat was wearing the Press vest. He reported to MADA: “My colleague the reporter Ali Dar Ali, our driver and I went to cover the clashes which erupted between the settlers and IOF on the one hand and the youth of Ras Karkar on the other hand. We were prevented from entering since the IOF closed the village’s entrance with military jeeps claiming that there were planted bombs and wanted to dismantle them. We were allowed to enter after half an hour. He added “We started preparing our equipment and cameras for live broadcast but a number of soldiers came to me and started throwing stun grenades and gas bombs as well as shooting live and rubber bullets in all directions. Even though I was wearing the journalists’ vest with the word 'Press’ on it, this didn’t stop the soldiers from targeting me with a gas bomb, hitting me in my left leg. I was taken to an ambulance where I got treatment.”

 

8/7- A number of Israelis attacked a group of journalists near Sderot, south of Israel, and injured Al-Ghad Al-Arabi newspapers correspondent Dia Hushya. Hushya reported to MADA: “Around 5 PM, while the newspapers’ staff was near Sderot, close to Gaza borders, a number of Israelis attacked us and one of them threw a stone and hit my left foot, but the injury was minor and there was no need for treatment.”

 

8/7- The Israeli military shelled the houses of Al-Rai’ radio station presenter Fatima Al-Qadi and Al-Rai’ newspaper photojournalist Rawan Tahrawi. The manager of Al-Ra’i agency, Mu’een Al-Thawabte, reported to MADA: “The Israeli military shelled the house of Al-Rai’ radio presenter Fatima Al-Qadi and that of Al-Rai newspaper photographer Rawan Al-Tahrawi with tanks in Al-Braij, Gaza Strip. The shelling injured Rawan’s grandfather.”

8/7 - AP photojournalist Yaqoub Sami Abu Ghalwe (32 years old) who lives in Khan Younis was injured while he was covering the Israelis shelling of the house of the Kaware family; which was completely destroyed.

Abu Ghalwe reported to MADA: “During the afternoon of that day, I was covering the events in Khan Younis. Then we heard that reconnaissance missile hit close to Al-Kaware’s house. We headed off to take photos. Then F-16 missiles completely destroyed Al-Kaware’s house, there were a lot of people inside at the time of the shelling. I fell to the ground as a result of the explosion and the gunpowder (which contains volatiles) entered my eyes and nose, making me lose consciousness. I was taken to Nasser hospital in Khan Younis where I got treatment and left after three hours. I was told to visit an ophthalmologist in order to treat my eyes.”

 

9/7- Sawt Al-Sha’b radio’s correspondent, Mahmoud Allouh was injured when the Israeli forces shelled an area in Gaza city where he was reporting. Allouh reported to MADA: “On Wednesday 9/7, around 1:00 AM, I was at Adda’wa area in Salah Addeen Street north of Al-Nserat, Gaza Strip, live reporting for Sawt Al-Sha’b radio station. The neighboring area was shelled and I got into an ambulance that was heading to the shelled neighborhood. Suddenly, the surrounding area was shelled with 10 rockets, even though there were signs telling that this was an ambulance with the lights turned on, plus I was wearing a press jacket. I was projected five meters away because of the blast and fell on a wooden pallet. I headed off to Al-Aqsa hospital for aid, I left after a little while since the injuries were minor and I didn’t need to stay longer.”

 

9/7- The IOF targeted the house of Ayada Qwaider, Al-Rai agency correspondent, in Alnseerat refugee camp south west of Gaza city. Al-Rai’s director reported to MADA: “The house of Al-Rai’s correspondent, Ayada Qwaider (31 years old), was targeted with a warning missile. There were no injuries. Qwaider is married with a child and lives in Alnseerat.”

9/7- Hamed Abed Allah Shihab (30 years old), driver of Media 24, was killed after the Israeli forces shelled Media 24 car, although the vehicle carried the 'Press’ sign. Media 24’s manager, Yousif Abu Sharia, reported to MADA: “On Wednesday 9/7 at around 10 PM, Shihab drove the company’s car (Silver Skoda) to my house (the manager’s house) in Sabra neighborhood in order to bring mattresses and blankets for the journalists who were on duty and stayed at the office for media coverage that night. After Shihab took the material, he drove to Omar Al-Mukhtar Street, in front of Kathem store, to pick Hatem Silmi (photographer). When Shihab reached the point, he was targeted by a missile which killed him. Nothing remained of his body except the lower part. People there placed his corpse on the mattresses and wrapped him with the blankets he was bringing for his journalist colleagues.” Abu Sharia said that the car had 'TV Press’ signs on its top and front side.

9/7- Ziad Isma’el Awad, the correspondent of the online news agency Nida’ Al-Wattan was injured with his son as a result of the shelling of his neighbor’s house by IOF. Damages were also caused to his house. Awad reported to MADA: “Last Wednesday 9/7, at around 3 o’clock, the house of our neighbor (Nawasra family) was targeted, four members of the family were killed (the spouses and two children). Nawasra’s house is 5 meters away from my house, and the shelling caused damages to my house. All the 12 windows exploded, injuring my left arm and my back and causing bruises in other parts of my body. My son also got minor injuries in his head.”

10/7- Najla’ Mahmoud Al-Hajj (29 years old), media activist and a volunteer at Facebook radio station, was killed after the IOF shelled her family’s house in Khan Younis city, south of Gaza Strip. Najla’s sister, Fida’ Al-Hajj, reported to MADA, that their house had been shelled with two F-16 missiles with a short while between them, which killed her sister Najla’, her parents, 3 of her sisters and 3 of her brothers. The shelling also completely distroyed their house.

Najla’s friend, Noura Fat’hi reported to MADA: “Najla’ was a volunteering at Facebook online radio station, in Gaza. She used to prepare reports for the station and she presented an on air program several times. She was a media activist on Facebook: she was the administrator of the page “Radya Rida Allah. Najla’ completed a 150 hour training course with me on editing, photojournalism and new media. In addition, Najla’ was active in covering issues and other events in the area like the prisoners issue, and she had prepared and published many reports.”

10/7- The Israeli forces damaged the house of the Qatari Sasa Post correspondent Buthaina  Rushdi Eshtewi in Alzaytoun neighborhood, Gaza. Eshtwei reported to MADA: “On Thursday 10/7, at around 4 AM, we got a phone call from the Israeli Intelligence agency telling us that we have to evacuate the house in 5 minutes. During this period of time they repeated the warning call another four times. We evacuated the house in a hurry and told our neighbors to take precautions, since the house consists of 5 floors and the shelling would affect all the neighbors.” She added: “After we left, they shelled the house with two alert missiles; then F-16 missiles completely destroyed the house. There were no injuries.”

10/7- The Israeli army interfered with Sawt Al-Quds radio station signals in Gaza city, and used the waves to broadcast an inciting message.  Sawt Al-Quds’ manager, Rabah Marzouq, reported to MADA: “The Israeli forces interfered with the local radio stations signals that are close to the border, as they did in all the previous wars, and sent inciting messages as a kind of psychological warfare against the people.” He added: “The interference happened in the southern areas where the IOF’s conduct their attacks. The messages were choppy and not understandable for people living far away, but it was clear for those who live in the targeted area in the south. The interference started on the fourth day of the Israeli attack on Gaza and lasted for two days. We didn’t get complaints from the people.”

10/7-  Filistin Al-Yom news website was hacked by hackers from more than 30 countries. The general manager and chief editor of the website, Saleh Al-Masri reported to MADA: “The website was hacked from more than 30 countries, where the server was targeted twice which led to its shutdown for a few minutes before the IT technician could fix the problem and re-launch the website. On the second occasion, the hacking lasted for an hour before we could fix it. The attacked happened at night and came from different IP addresses, making the problem more difficult to solve.”

 

11/7- The IOF destroyed the family house of Al-Mayadeen’s TV correspondent, Ahmad Shaldan, after sending a warning. Shaldan reported to MADA: “At 4:00 PM, the Israelis called my cousin and told him that his family should evacuate the house, and 10 minutes after, the house was targeted by a warning missile. Another 10 minutes later, it was shelled by two F-16 missiles, one exploded but the other did not. Our house was totally destroyed and that of my uncle partially. Two of our neighbors got minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.”

 

11/7- The IOF damaged the car of Al-Arabya TV cameraman Mohammad Musleh in Al-Bireh/Ramallah city. Musleh reported to MADA: “We went to cover the clashes near the main entrance of the Psagot settlement, near Jabal Al-Taweel in Al-Bireh. The IOF soldiers were divided into two groups, one to directly confront Palestinians and the other to trap them from the other side. It was clear that Al-Arabiya TV’s car was interrupting what the Israeli soldiers were doing, so they smashed its rear window glass.”

 

11/7- The IOF threw stun grenades and gas bombs at a number of journalists near Qalandya checkpoint north of Jerusalem city, damaging three of the journalists’ cars. The Turkish Anatolia News Agency’s photographer, Muath Mish’al, reported to MADA: “We were near Qalandya checkpoint at around 10:30 PM to cover the clashes between the Palestinian youth and the IOF. Israeli soldiers threw stun grenades at the crowd and at the car of my colleague Samer Nazzal,  Raya FM network photographer . One of the tear gas bombs thrown at protesters hit my car and cracked the rear window glass. Another bomb hit the car of my colleague Abbas Mo’mani, a photographer for the French News Agency, without causing any damage except for minor scratches on the right side.

 

11/7- The IOF interfered with Sawt Al-Sha’b radio station signals in Gaza city, and broadcasted inciting messages. Al-Sha’b’s correspondent, Samer Al-Ghoul, reported to MADA: “Since the beginning of the Israeli attack on Gaza, the Israelis interfered with all the radio stations signals that were covering the events. We, at Sawt Al-Sha’b, faced a direct jamming as soon as the third day of the attack. The signals were disrupted, the broadcast was jammed, and inciting messages were broadcasted by the IOF to destabilize the security in the Strip. Until 14/7 the IOF were broadcasting messages that said that Gaza Resistance forces were submitting to Israeli demands and were asking for a ceasefire. We were able to fix the problem after a while and to resume broadcasting.”

11/7- The IOF shelled the house of Sawt Al-Quds director, Wa’el Fannoune in Gaza. Fannoune reported to MADA: “My house and that of my parents were shelled by F-16. My parents’ 4-floor house was targeted by 3 missiles which caused the collapse of two floors, and my two-floor house, where I live with my wife and two young daughters, was damaged on the first floor. My daughters are 5 months old and 1.5 years old."

 

 

12/7- The freelance photojournalists Iyad Al-Taweel and Abdul Afu Zughayer were injured  by the IOF while covering clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Both of them were assaulted and arrested.

Al-Taweel reported to MADA: “We were inside Al-Aqsa Mosque to cover the continuous attacks by the settlers there. I was with myphotojournalist colleague Abul Afu Zughayer when the IOF started shooting randomly at everybody including children, seniors and journalists with rubber bullets. I was injured by one of these bullets in my right arm, and Zughayer was also shot with another bullet in his left hand palm.”

Al-Taweel added: “The attacks finished and we were arrested at the mosque’s door on charge of breaching the state of Israel’s laws by participating in riots and throwing firecrackers. I was also beaten while they dragged me to investigation; they punched me underneath my chin, I started bleeding but they ignored it. They seized my cellphone (that I was using for filming inside the mosque) as well as all the equipment of my colleague Zughayer, which is 15,000 NIS worth. They haven’t returned the material till now.”

Al-Taweel continued: “After four days of detention and paying a 1,000 NIS bail, they sentenced me to home arrest for one week as well as prohibition from going to Al-Aqsa mosque for one month. If I breach the release conditions I will have to pay a 3,000 NIS bail.”

14/7- Filistin Al-Yom TV broadcasting was disrupted by the IOF. Mohammad Al-Najjar, a member of the news staff, reported to MADA: “The disruptions started on the first days of the Israeli attack on Gaza until this moment (14/7), the disruption is caused by the reconnaissance aircraft that are flying over us, making the broadcasting irregular and blurry. Four days ago, the IOF interfered with the signals and broadcasted threatening messages for 1:15 minute against the Gaza Resistance and the Palestinian people.”

 

15/7- Internet hackers from different countries, especially Israel and the USA, hacked Al-Rai’ News Agency’s website in Gaza city, provoking its interruption. Al-Rai’s director, Mu’een Thawabte, reported to MADA: “Al-Rai’ website was attacked by hackers from 31 countries, with the main attacks coming from Israel, the USA and south East Asia. Our website was interrupted for 30 hours before we managed to re-launch it and add more protection against cyber attacks.”

 

15/7- The IOF destroyed the house of Palestinian Public TV’s cameraman Ibrahim Abu Sharia Alsabra neighborhood in Gaza city. Abu Sharia reported to MADA: “On Monday, the IOF called our neighbor to tell us that we had to evacuate our house as it was planned for bombing. We evacuated the house; which consists of four floors and four flats, in fear and panic. Ten minutes later they launched an alert missile followed by an F-16 missile. Our house was completely destroyed. Four families used to live there, and in total 15 persons have been affected. There were no physical injuries since we had evacuated the place before the attack.”

15/7- The IOF shelled the Palestinian Public TV cameraman Yousif Abu Sharia’s house  in Alsabra  neighborhood in Gaza city. Abu Sharia reported to MADA: “On Monday, at 9:00 PM, the IOF called my cousin and told him that we have to evacuate his brother’s (Mohammad Abu Sharia) house. We all (20 persons) live in one building that consists of 3 floors. After 10 minutes of evacuating the building and taking the car that has “TV” sign, they shelled it with two F-16 missiles. There were no physical affects since we evacuated the house before the shelling.”

16/7- The IOF shelled Dawood tower, where Sawt Al-Wattan radio station broadcasts from, in Gaza city. The shelling caused injuries to 3 radio workers, in addition to material damage and the broadcasting was stopped. The radio station’s general manager, Lo’ay Abu Muammar, reported to MADA: “At 2:30 AM, the 8^th floor of the Dawood tower was targeted in Al-Rimal neighborhood. Sawt Al-Wattan radio headquarters are located at the 14^th floor of the building, and sustained damages. Some equipment was destroyed; including the 30,000 US dollar worth Quartz device used for broadcasting, in addition to the radio’s car. Two workers were injured: the anchor Ahmad Al-Ajale (27 years old) had bruises and got treatment on the spot, and the correspondent Tareq Hamdiyye (28 years old) was bruised in his right leg and had to go to the hospital for treatment. The broadcasting is still interrupted.”

Abu Muammar added: “It should be pointed that the IOF has been jamming and disrupting the radio signals since the beginning of the attack on Gaza, as well as broadcasting threatening messages against Hamas.”

16/7- The writer and journalist Asma’ Al-Ghoul was injured in her house in Gaza city as a result of the shelling of a nearby building by the IOF. Al-Ghoul reported to MADA: “At 3:30 AM, the Israelis shelled the Dawood tower which stands in front of our house. I went to the balcony with my father to see what happened, and there a fragment injured me in my right leg and bruised my head. I didn’t go to the hospital.”

16/7- The car of the AFP photographer Ja’far Eshtayye was completely burnt by a tear gas bomb thrown by the IOF. That happened while Eshtayye was covering the clashes near Nablus city north of West Bank. Eshtayye reported to MADA: “While we were at the Huwwara checkpoint near Nablus at around 4:00 PM to cover the clashes between the IOF and the Palestinian youth, the clashes erupted, protesting the Israeli attack on Gaza, the soldiers started throwing tear gas bombs at the protesters. One of these bombs hit my car (Kia Rio 2012), cracked the rear window and made the vehicle burst into flames.”

16/7 The IOF targeted the car of the AP photographer Nasser Eshtayye and hit it by two tear gas canisters on the same occasion.

Nasser Eshtayye reported to MADA: “It was 1:00 PM; we were heading off to Huwwara checkpoint to cover the clashes between the IOF and Palestinian youth. We were standing in the middle between the checkpoint and the IOF, when they started throwing tear gas bombs at everyone, focusing on journalists (even though we told the soldiers that we are journalists and had 'Press’ signs on our cars and jackets). My car (Hyundai) was hit by two bombs so I parked it to a safer place. This happened on the same day when the car of my colleague (Ja’far Eshtayye) was burnt.”

Eshtayye added: “On the next day, at 3:00 PM, we went to cover another demonstration at the Huwwara checkpoint. A stone hit my head and although the injury was minor I went to get aid at Al-Rahma clinic in Nablus.”

16/7 The Palestinian security forces stopped Filistin Al-Yom TV’s staff and other journalists, and prevented them from covering clashes in Jenin between youths and IOF. The journalists were also coerced to the police station and one of them was beaten and threatened.

Filistin Al-Yom producer Mujahe Al-Sa’di reported to MADA: “We were covering clashes in Jenin, near the border with Sabah Al-Khair bridge, at around 11:30 PM. The (Palestinian) security forces were preventing the Palestinian demonstrators from reaching the IOF soldiers, and while we were covering them doing that, the Palestinian police stopped all of the TV’s staff. They detained the cameraman Rabea’ Muneer and the correspondent Murad Abu Omar in another area, and conducted them to the police station in Jenin. The security forces chased me and other workers of TV broadcasting company (whose names I don’t know) and forcibly conducted us to the police station.”

Al-Sa’di added: “At the police station, they seized our IDs and tried to take our cellphones in order to check them, claiming that there was a state of emergency that doesn’t allow us to film or take photos. We refused any checking of our communication devices, and we called Jenin’s mayor who denied the existence of such an emergency law.”

Al-Sa’di said: “They seized my camera’s memory card, where all the photographed and videoed data are. They told us that we can take it back after two hours, but we couldn’t have it until now.”

Al-Saidi went further saying: “The whole staff left the station and went to the city center of Jenin in order to cover other clashes there. When we arrived, a man in plainclothes came to me and presented himself as a member of the Palestinian preventive security service. He prevented us from filming but I didn’t listen to his order and instead threatened him that I would reveal his practices. The men severely beat me, assaulted me and dragged me for twenty meters to the car. They were beating and cursing me all the time, and were telling us that we were spies and accused us of sedition.”

Sa’di added: “They conducted me to the Preventive Security headquarter and beat me. I threatened that I would sue them. Other persons came to me and pushed me to the investigation room and started investigating about the reasons I film and for whom. I answered that I am a journalist and I just provide images of events. They told me that I wasn’t detained because of my profession, but because of my rudeness. They kept on cursing me and all the TV’s staff, accusing us of not being patriots and of helping the Israeli occupation maneuvers against President Mahmoud Abbas. I was detained for three hours until they released me.”

17/7- The IOF raided several times the family house of Al-Aqsa TV’s correspondent in Hebron Ala’ Al-Titi. Al-Titi reported to MADA: “On Thursday 17/7, at 2:30 AM the IOF raided my house and searched it comprehensively. I was not at home at the time, since I was at Al-Aqsa mosque. This is not the first time they raid my house, it happened three times in the last two months.”

Al-Titi added: “On 3/5 I was summoned for investigation by the Israeli Intelligence service. Two days later, I went there and they interrogated me about my profession as a journalist at Al-Aqsa TV. On 18/6 at around 2:00 AM the IOF raided our house and searched it. They did it again on 27/6 at 1:00 AM. In addition they damaged my family’s and brothers’ houses, and stole money and some gold of my mother.”

 

17/7 The Palestinian Intelligence services summoned the sound technician of Raya FM Network Tamer Al-Kahlah, and interrogated him about his posts on Facebook.

Kahla reported to MADA: “On Wednesday evening 16/7, I received a phone call by the Palestinian intelligence services in Ramallah demanding me to go their headquarters on the following day. I went there at around 10:00 AM. Most of the interrogation focused on my writings on Facebook. They ordered me to give them my mobile phones but I hadn’t taken them with me on that day, they also asked for my Facebook password, but I refused. They interrogated me about a number of comments I posted on Facebook which criticize the PA, but I denied them since I had temporarily suspended my Facebook account."

He added: "I was released 12 hour later after continuous interrogation. Al-Damir Organization, the journalists syndicate and the director of Al-Raya FM Network, who is a member of the Fateh Revolutionary Council, mediated my release in exchange of going there another time. I went there again on 21/7 at 08:30 PM accompanied by the director of Al-Raya FM. The conversation was normal and they did not interrogate me about anything."

 

18/7- Israeli occupation warplanes shelled the headquarters of the Alwataniya Agency for Media with 3 missiles. 35 journalists, cameramen and employees were present. A sound technician sustained fractures in the hand, broadcasting was suspended, and the premises suffered huge damages. The director of Alwataniya National Agency Muhammed Shihadeh reported to MADA: "On Friday 18/7, at around 6:53 AM, our office which is located in Gaza city (Rimal neighborhood, Al-Jawhara tower, 8^th floor) was shelled by Israeli Apache warplane which threw three rockets without a previous warning. Doors, windows, filming equipment, broadcasting rooms, offices, and studios were damaged, causing the suspension of broadcasting."

He added: "We were 35 people - cameramen, journalists and a sound technician – in the office. When the first rocket landed we left the office and ran to the building’s stairs. And after the second and third missiles hit the office, the sound technician Muhammad Shabat (42 years old) was injured in the left hand. he was  transferred to Al-Shiffa Hospital by an ambulance, where he was treated and was informed that his hand was fractured."

18/7 - The cameraman of Media TV Karim Hussein Tartouri was injured as a result of the shelling of the Al-Jawhara Tower in Gaza city, where the company headquarters are located. Tartori reported to MADA: "While I was working with the crew of the TV at the office headquarters (Gaza city, Al-Jala street, Al-Jawhara Tower, 7^th floor), the office located above us was shelled without any previous warning by an Israeli Apache rocket. Our office was evacuated. While I was walking downstairs, the 7^th floor was shelled by another Apache rocket. I was injured in my left hand palm by four shrapnels and the tendon of my little finger was cut. I was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital."

 

18/7- The IOF injured the Palestinian Public TV cameraman Fadi Jaiosi with a rubber bullet in his left knee, near Qalandia checkpoint, north Jerusalem.

Jaiosi reported to MADA: "We went to Qalandia check-point to cover the clashes which erupted between Palestinian youths protesting against the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the Israeli occupation forces. The TV reporter Ali Dar Ali and I walked in front of the Israeli soldiers with our press jacket on and started filming but we were targeted by extensive fire as well as gas and sounds canisters. The distance between us and them was less than 10 meters and I was injured by a rubber bullet in my left knee. Since it was very painful, I thought it was live ammunition. I was transferred to Ramallah Hospital by an ambulance where the X-rays showed that the bullet had reached the bone, causing swelling and bruise. I stayed one night at the hospital.

19/7- IOF shelled the house of Al-Ra'i Agency journalist Tawfiq Hamid. He and his family members were injured. The director of Al-Ra’i Muen Thawabta reported: "The correspondent of Al-Ra’i Agency Tawfiq Hamid was injured as well as members of his family during the shelling of their house by the IOF in Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip.”

20/7- The cameraman of Continue for TV production Khalid Riyad Hamad (26 years old) was killed while he was accompanying an ambulance which was targeted by the IOF in Al-Shoja’ya neighborhood in Gaza city. His colleague Sohaib Shihadeh reported to MADA: "The cameraman Sohaib Shihadeh was accompanying an ambulance at 06:00 AM in Al-Shajaiya to cover the events there. When the ambulance was targeted by an Israeli shell, he was injured although he was wearing a press jacket. He could not receive treatment since ambulances were prevented from reaching the area. At 10:00 AM, his dead body was found in Al-Shajaiya neighborhood, Al-Bazzar Street, and transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital."

21/7- IOF shelled the house of the correspondent of Al-Ra'i Network Suhair Al-Kharraz. The director of Al-Ra'i reported to MADA: "The IOF shelled and destroyed the house of the correspondent and broadcaster of Al-Ra'i Network Suhair Khazendar in Tal Al-Hawa."

21/7 The freelance journalist Amjad Arafa was injured by a rubber bullet fired by the IOF while he was covering a clashes between Israeli forces and youths in Jerusalem.

Arafa reported to MADA: "I went to cover a protest march and clashes between youths and the Israeli occupation forces in Al-Tour neighborhood on 21/7 after Ramadan evening prayers. Even though the march was peaceful at the begining, we were shocked when Israeli forces sprayed wastewater to disperse the protesters."

He added: "I hid behind a fence near Al-Maqased Hospital to cover the events, far away from the wastewater. Ten minutes after starting filming, a rubber bullet was fired at me, it rebounded on the wall and hit my left shoulder near the neck. While Palestinian youths were trying to help me enter the hospital which is near the clashes, I sustained a light injury and received treatment at hospital.

21/7- The cameraman of Filisteen Al-Yaum TV Sami Thabet, was injured by a shrapnel in his arm, after the shelling of Shuhada’ Al-Aqsa Hospital by the IOF, in Der Al-Balah, where he was covering the events. Thabet reported to MADA: "While covering events in Shuhada’ Al-Aqsa hospital, the premises were targeted by the IOF with bombs and shells. I was injured by shrapnel in the left arm, in addition to some bruises in the head and knee. I received aid at the hospital but the shrapnel is still lodged in my arm and I may need surgery if it stays."

21/7- The house of Filistin Al-Yom newspaper journalist Ala Rezeq Shamali was shelled and 6 members of his family were killed as a result. He reported to MADA: "Our house and many others nearby were shelled by a F16 Israeli warplane. 50 people from my family and relatives were living there. The house was completely destroyed leaving 6 people killed (my uncle, his wife, two of their sons and two of my cousins)."

21/7 - The correspondent of Filistin Al-Yom TV Ahmad Budari was injured by a grenade’s fragment thrown by the IOF in the left leg at about 12:00 AM, while he was covering live the clashes erupted in Al-Esawieha neighborhood in Jerusalem.

22/7- The house of the journalist of Al-A'hed TV, Muhammed Nassir Khamis Dahlan, was destroyed by the IOF. Dahlan reported to MADA: "Our house was targeted by two rockets sent by an Israeli drone at 07:50, at around 8:10, the 3-floor house was shelled with an F-16. No casualties were reported since we were informed ten minutes before via a phone call received by a family member." He added: "40 people were living in the house, from 6 families (our family, our three cousins and some other relatives) whom had been displaced by earlier Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. The house was completely destroyed."

22/7- The office of Al-Jazeera TV in Gaza was targeted by the IOF in Gaza city. The producer of Al-Jazeera office in Gaza city, Safwat Kahalout, reported to MADA: "At 09:00 AM while we were doing our work at Al-Jazeera office (located in Al-Jalla tower, 11^th floor, Gaza city) we heard a sound of shelling. All of us were shocked since we were not able to identify the source of the sound. A few seconds later, we heard other shelling sounds but couldn’t recognize whether it was an airstrike or not. Then we understood that these were warning sounds and that Al-Jazeera office would be targeted since Israeli Foreign Affairs minister Lieberman has threaten to close all Al-Jazeera offices. No one was injured, and the material damages were limited.”

22/7- The IOF destroyed the house of the journalist and freelance director Rima Mahmoud Abu Sabha. Abu Sabha reported to MADA: "The Israeli occupation forces shelled our house at about 12:00 AM with two Apache rockets without previous warning. My father was killed and our one-floor house, where 11 people lived, was destroyed. 8 people who lived in our uncle's house next to ours were injured. The Israeli occupation airplanes shelled the remnants of the house again at 07:00 am, flattening it completely."

22/7- Correspondent of France Press Agency Sakher Abu Aoun sustained injuries and bruises after the shelling of a building next to his house by the IOF in Gaza city. Abu Aoun reported to MADA: "The Al-Yazaji building, situated nearly 100 meters away from my house, was shelled at 09:00 PM. I was projected into the air by the blast. I was transferred to a hospital where I discovered that I had sustained bruises and injuries, especially in the leg. I also got three stitches above the right eye."

23/7 The Israeli occupation forces killed Al-Kitab TV programmer Abed Rahman Ziad Abu Hayyin (28 years old) after shelling his family’s house in Al-Shajaiya neighborhood in Gaza city. His uncle, Safa Agency journalist Yasser Abu Haien, reported to MADA: “Our three-floor house was shelled by two F16 rockets without previous warning at 05:00 AM. My nephew, the journalist Abed Rahman Abu Haien, who is married and has a daughter, was killed. My father Hassan Hussein Abu Haien, 81 years old, and my other nephew the engineer Osama Saqer Abu Haien, 30, were also killed. 15 people were affected by this shelling." Abu Hayyin added: “The house of my brother, Ziad Abu Hayyin, (A doctor), and which lies beside our house was also destroyed as a result of the shelling. 12 people used to live in the house”

23/7- The IOF fired shells at a group of journalists, Red Cross workers and civil defense crews, while they were heading to Al-Shajaiya neighborhood, destroyed by previous shelling, The cameraman of German News Agency, Saber Ibrahim Nour Eldain, was injured. He reported to MADA: "On 23/7, at around 1:00 PM, a group of journalists, Red Cross and civil defense crews when they  were heading to Al-Shajaiya neighborhood without receiving a permission to go there. When we approached places targeted by earlier shelling, a number of shells were fired towards us. One of them landed on the house I was in; I fell on the ground and was transferred to a hospital. I sustained a muscular tear in the back and a light fissure in the back of the rib cage bone, behind the heart. I left the hospital two hours later after treatment.”

23/7- The IOF arrested the correspondent of Raya Network Mahmud Abu Khdair in his hous e in Shufat refugee camp near Jerusalem, imposed him to pay a fine and placed him under house arrest. His wife Abrar Abu Khdai, reported to MADA: "At 4:00 AM, a group of Israeli occupation forces raided our house in Shufat and threatened us that they would explode the house after 5 minutes if we didn't open the door. After they entered the house without searching it, they took photos of him and took his ID. They carried out the whole detention procedures and arrested him."

She added: "Mahmoud and other three youths of the Abu Khdair family were arrested this night. In total 17 members of the Abu Khdair extended family, have been arrested since the killing of the boy Muhammed Abu Khdair (by group of Israelis). My husband’s court hearing was delayed to Monday 28^th July. He and other members of his family were accused of riots in protest against the killing of Muhammed. The general prosecutor also said that there are secret charges against them which will be revealed in due time. The two lawyers, an Arab and a Jew, asked the general prosecutor to provide evidences of the charges but he refused and maintained the detention."

She also said: "The court hearing was delayed from Monday 28/7 to Thursday 31/7. He was successively released under the conditions of being placed under house arrest and paying a fine of 1,000 NIS. If he does not respect the conditions of his house arrest he will have to pay another fine of 3,000 NIS, since the Israeli police will visit his house every day to check whether he is there. If he violates these conditions or if any other evidence appears against him during 180 days he will be arrested again."

23/7- The freelance video journalist Anas Abu Mualik, was injured by shrapnel in the chest and abdomen as a result of the Israeli shelling of Shuhada’ Al-Aqsa Hospital in Der Al-Balah while he was covering events there. The correspondent of Anatolia Turkish Agency Mateen Kaiya reported to MADA: "While Anas Abu Mualik was covering the events in Shuahada’ Al-Aqsa Hospital, the floor where he was, got shelled and Anas was injured moderately by fragment in the chest and abdomen. He also sustained a severe injury in the left leg and needed to undergo emergency surgery but he could not, due to the lot of injuries, the lack of available doctors. He is receiving treatment at a hospital in Istanbul."

24/7- An Israeli soldier deliberately fired a rubber bullet towards Nader Pepers cameraman of Palestinian Public TV. He reported to MADA: "I was covering the clashes between Palestinian youth and Israeli soldiers in Wadi Al-Joz neighborhood in Jerusalem, where the situation was stable after Israeli wastewater cars intervened to spray away protesters. I was standing with paramedics when one of them told me that there was a green light on my head. Before he could complete the sentence I was shot by a rubber bullet in my neck. I was then transferred to Al-Makased Hospital to receive treatment and the doctor told me that my injury required 3 weeks to heal."

24/7 The correspondent of Falastin Al-Yom TV Jehad Barakat suffered from excessive gas inhalation when the IOF threw gas bombs at protesters near Qalandia checkpoint. The broadcasting van was targeted by bullets and a montage technician was injured. Barakat reported to MADA: "While we were covering the clashes between Palestinian youth and the Israeli occupation army during the 48,000 protesters march from Ramallah to Jerusalem, the IOF fired gas canisters at protesters and I suffered from excessive gas inhalation. Some youngsters came to my aid since the ambulance could not reach us. The broadcasting car of Falastin Al-Yom TV was targeted by bullets from anonymous sources, the windshield was broken and the journalist Zakaria Salhi (26 years old) who works as a video technician at Ramsat Company was injured in the chest as a result. He was transferred to a hospital for treatment.”

25/7- Raya network photojournalist Shadi Hatem was injured in the leg while he was covering clashes near Qalandia checkpoint. He explained: "While I was doing my work covering the eruption of fire between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers, I was injured at about 01:00 AM by a 0.22 mm bullet (known locally as "Tutu") fired from an unidentified source. I think this kind of bullet is not available to Palestinians who use Kalashnikov bullets. I was injured in the left leg and transferred to Ramallah Governmental Hospital to receive treatment where I was told to wait for two weeks to pull the bullet out of my leg.  However I went to the Arab Care Hospital at 03:00 PM and the bullet was removed by a surgeon."

25/7- Anadolu photographer Muath Mashal was injured when an Israeli soldier deliberately fired two bullets towards a group of journalists while they were covering a march in the entrance of Al-Bireh/Ramallah. Mashal reported to MADA: "We (Al-Haiya Al-Jadeda photojournalist Esam Rimawi, Xinhua Chinese Agency photographer Fadi Arouri and France Press photographer Abbas Mumni) were near Bet El settlement, in front of the gas station, to cover the events. An Israeli soldier fired a bullet at us and nobody was injured but the second bullet exploded and hit me and Esam Rimawi. Shrapnel injured my left hand above the wrist and settled there."

He added: "I went to Ramallah Governmental Hospital to receive treatment and doctors said it was difficult and dangerous to pull the shrapnel out of my hand even with surgery.”

25/7- The IOF shot live bullets at the photographer and correspondent of Wafa Agency, Thaer Abu Baker. The bullet injured him in the leg. He reported to MADA: "On Friday, 25/7, at around 11 PM, I was covering a march from Jenin city center to Al-Jalamh checkpoint at 11:00 PM. Demonstrators were burning wheels. At the beginning there were no Israeli soldiers but they came later, a light bomb was fired which injured a youth. Another person was targeted by a bullet fired by Israeli special forces. All the bullets were fired from a muffler. When I went to take a picture of the injured person in the ambulance, I was injured by live ammunition in the right leg. I was transferred to the hospital to receive treatment and I was told that the bullet had penetrated my leg and caused fractures to the bone. I have been staying at the hospital since then because I am unable to move and the doctor told me that my injuries need two to three months to be healed."

25/7-  Israeli occupation forces shelled a house next to Forsan Al-Huria Radio in Deir Al-Balah - Gaza Strip, resulting in the destruction of the media headquarters and the suspension of broadcasting for two days.

The radio’s public relations director Osama Abu Saker reported to MADA: "The premises of the radio which are located in Deir Al-Balah were destroyed by fragment as a result of the shelling of the nearby house. 8 computers and 8 windows were destroyed, and some equipment was damaged. The broadcasting was suspended for two days and broadcasting hours were reduced from 17 hours to 5 hours daily, i.e. from 08:00 AM to 01:00 PM. The estimated loss ranges between 40,000 and 50,000 NIS."

 

26/7 The Israeli occupation forces attacked the crew of Al-Mayadeen TV several times while they were covering clashes erupted at Jerusalem entry points and prevented them from coverage.

The correspondent of Al-Mayadeen TV Hana Mahameed reported to MADA: "After the Israeli army closed all the entrances that lead to Jerusalem and prevented Palestinian citizens from heading to Jerusalem to pray there, clashes erupted between Palestinian youths and the Israeli occupation forces who fired rubber-coated steel bullets as well as gas and stun grenades in different areas. The crew of Al-Mayadeen TV, including the cameraman Ishaq Kosbi and I, were covering live the events at Al-Issawiya area. We were attacked twice after 01:00 AM while we were walking towards a hill from where we can see Al-Issawiya neighborhood to cover the events from there. Several Israeli military patrols were deployed there; they pushed us back and prevented us from coverage under the pretext that this was a close military area."

She added: "45 minutes later, while we were trying to go forward to complete our live coverage, Israeli soldiers threw a gas grenade at us from atop the hill. There were no injuries. A group of Israeli soldiers then headed down towards us and threatened us that they would break our cameras if we stayed there. They pushed us nearly 10 meters back although we were 150 meters far away from the source of the events and only wanted to find a good angle to cover what was happening."

26/7 Rami Al-Khatib, correspondent of the program an Eye on Jerusalem (“Ein Ala Al-Quds”) broadcasted on the Jordanian TV, was injured twice by Israeli rubber bullets while he was covering clashes in Jerusalem.

Al-Khatib reported to MADA: "While I was covering clashes between Palestinians and Israeli occupation forces in the Shufat refugee camp, near Jerusalem, I was deliberately injured by a rubber bullet in the left leg above my knee. I received fist aid but it was still painful. He added: "Five days ago, after covering events erupted in Salah El-Din Street in the city of Jerusalem, I saw an Israeli officer pointing his arm at me. I was injured by a rubber bullet in the head and was transferred to a hospital where I got five stitches."

29/7 Baha Kamel Ghareib (59 years old), employee of the Hebrew News Department of the Palestinian Public TV in Rafah, was killed with his daughter by an Israeli rocket fired by a drone, while he was transferring his daughter to the hospital for treatment.

His neighbor Ibrahim Abed Rahaman, director at Palestinian Public TV, reported to MADA: "On 29/7 at 10:30 AM Baha Ghareib was going with his daughter Ola to a hospital to treat her. On his way there he was targeted by a rocket fired from an Israeli drone and both of Baha and his daughter were killed."

29/7- Ezat  Salameh Abu Duhair (23 years old) correspondent of Al-Hurria Media Network  and four members of his family were killed by the shelling of his house by the IOF in Rafah city, south of the Gaza Strip.

Al-Hurria network issued an obituary statement saying: “The Israeli missiles targeted today, Tuesday, the house of our colleague Ezat Abu Duhair in Rafah. The network correspondent has broadcasted the last voice message through Al-Hurria platform on 4:30 AM. His sister’s husband, Younis Safi, said in an interview on Al-Hurria network that when Ezat had finished broadcasting about the last massacre in Khan Younis and was preparing to go and pray at the mosque, the Israeli missiles hit his house and killed everybody inside.”

29/7 The IOF destroyed three headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV and channel in Gaza city in the early morning.

The programs director of Al-Aqsa, Samir Abu Mohsen, reported to MADA: "On 29/7/2014 at 02:45 AM the headquarters of Al-Aqsa channel, located in Al-Naser neighborhood near Al-Quds Open University in Gaza city were shelled. The building was first targeted by a rocket sent by an Israeli drone and two minutes later by F16 rockets, which destroyed the whole building including the offices, media equipment and  the studio ’ 250 m^2” . No casualties were reported."

He added: "At the same time, the second headquarter of the channel, a five-floor building of 550 m² studio which is located in Al-Naser neighborhood near Al-Sheikh Radawn cemetery in Gaza city, was shelled with a reconnaissance missile. After less than half an hour, the same building was targeted by an F16 rocket and the building was destroyed, including the media equipment devices. There were no casualties."

He continued: "Today at 03:00 AM, the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV situated on the 15^th floor of Al-Shorouq Tower were targeted by an Israeli rocket. We didn't know if it was by an Apache or a drone. The premises were nearly completely destroyed and the broadcasting was suspended.

29/7 The IOF destroyed the house of the editor of Safa Agency Emad Shtaw in Gaza city. Ishtawi reported to MADA: "At 01:00 AM my brother received a phone call by the IOF warning us to immediately leave our house since it would be shelled and to inform our neighbors to take precautions too. The house was targeted by a warning rocket which was followed by a F16 rocket which completely destroyed the house. He added: "Our house is situated in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood. It is a 350 m² building with three floors consisting of five apartments. Four of my brothers, their families, and my parents, totaling 42 people, used to live there.”

30/7- Ahed Afif Zaqout (49 years old), sports commentator at the Palestinian Public TV, was  killed by the IOF in Gaza city. The head of the media workers syndicate of the Palestinian Public TV in Gaza, Kamel Hamed, told MADA: "Today, 30/7, between 3:00 and 4:00 AM, the journalist Ahed Zagout was killed by an F-16 missile while sleeping alone in his apartment; his wife and two children were staying at his wife's family that night.” He added: “Ahed's apartment is located on Al-Nassir Street, in the Italian complex in Gaza city. He had been working as a sport commentator for Palestinian Public TV since 2000. He was an athlete who played at Gaza Sport Club, and he worked as a director of Al-Nash'in school at Al-Hilal Club.”

30/7-  Rami Fathi Rayan (26 years old) cameraman of the Palestinian Press and Media Network, was killed during the Israeli shelling of a market in Al-Shajaiya neighborhood in Gaza city after the announcement of a temporary truce. The head of the Palestinian Press and Media Network Nasr Abu Alfoul reported to MADA: “After the announcement from the both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides, of a 4 hour truce today afternoon, the cameraman Rami Ryan went with the editor of the network Mahmoud Alqasas to report on the situation in the market of Shaja’ya. There, everyone in the market was targeted, including civilians, journalists and ambulances. The shelling was a surprise to them, there were many Israeli warplanes. As a result, Rami Ryan was killed and Mahmoud Alqasas was slightly injured in the head.

30/7- The journalist at Al-Aqsa TV Sameh Mohammed Al-Ariyan (28 years old) was killed during the shelling by the IOF of Al-Shajaiya neighborhood in Gaza city. The programs director of Al-Aqsa TV Samir Muhasin reported to MADA: "On Wednesday 30/7 at 07:00 PM, while Al-Ariyan was covering the events in Shajaiya, he was targeted by missiles together with a number of civilians, journalists and paramedics. He was killed in the shelling. He was wearing a 'Press’ jacket."

30/7- The video-journalist of Al-Manar Agency Hamed Radwan Al-Shobaki, was injured by IOF, while he was covering the shelling of Al-Shajaiya neighborhood in Gaza city.

He reported to MADA: "I went to Al-Shajaiya neighborhood at about 04:30 PM to cover what was going on. The Israeli shelling was extensive; many people were injured and killed. I tried to help paramedics staff providing aid to the injured but we – journalists, paramedics and civil defense staff – were targeted by a number of Israeli shells. I was injured by shrapnel all over my body. I was transferred to a hospital where I underwent surgery to pull the shrapnel out of my abdomen. A piece of platinum was fixed into my left thigh. The fragments in my right leg above the knee could not be removed. I might have to travel abroad, to Turkey, Qatar or Egypt, to receive treatment."

31/7- The journalist Mohammed Majed Daher (27 years old), editor at Al-Resalla weekly newspaper, died of injuries he sustained on 20/7, when the IOF shelled his family’s house.

The director of Al-Resalla Radio Mohammed Abu Qamar reported to MADA: "On Sunday, 20/7, at 10:00 AM, the Israeli airstrikes, shelled the three-floor house of Mohamed Daher In Al-Shajaia neighborhood in Gaza, without any previous warning. Daher was severely injured, sustaining a fracture in the skull, bleeding in the brain and kidney failure. The civil protection staff was not able to rescue him since the IOF prevented them to reach the place. Daher was eventually transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital at 06:00 PM (8 hours after he got injured). He died on 31/7 at 04:00 AM. His 14 month daughter Dana, his parents, his brother and his sister were also killed in the bombing. His pregnant wife and his other sister were moderately injured.

31/7- The IOF tanks shelled and destroyed the 85 m² office of Sou’d for Media and Press in Gaza city. Sou’d Abu Ramadan, the owner of the company and freelance journalist for the German and Chinese news agencies, told MADA: "On Thursday, at 8:00 AM, I left the office with three employees to have a break outside. When we were out, I received a phone call from the building guard telling me that the premises were deliberately hit by an Israeli tank shell causing serious damages. Almost everything was destroyed. The shell moved from a room to another room until it stopped in the kitchen. It caused serious damage to all the rooms, 95% of the office is destroyed.” He added: "The office, which is located in Gaza –Al-Thalatini Street, Basha Tower, 8^th floor –contained office furniture and equipment such as computers and video recording devices, since we provide international press with photos and videos. The estimated losses resulting from this attach range between 15,000 and 18,000 US Dollars."