Tel Aviv Tribune says that the incentive campaign aims to “justify the targeting of journalists” while Israel continues to bomb Gaza.
Tel Aviv Tribune Media Network denounced the Israeli army for what it called an “incentive campaign” against its journalists in the Gaza Strip, notably the Arab correspondent of Tel Aviv Tribune Anas Al-Sharif.
On Friday, Tel Aviv Tribune said that he “condemns and strongly denounces these incessant efforts, who have always prompted his staff since the start of his coverage of the Israeli war against Gaza”.
“The network considers this incentive an attempt dangerous to justify the targeting of its journalists in the field.”
The statement comes just a few days after the Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee covered a video on social networks accusing Al-Sharif of being a member of the Hamas military wing-an affirmation which was rejected with force as false.
Israel has regularly accused Palestinian journalists in Gaza of being members of Hamas since he launched his war against the enclave in October 2023 as part of the rights defense groups say they are an effort to discredit their report on Israeli abuses.
The Israeli army has killed more than 200 journalists and media workers since the start of its bombing, including several journalists from Tel Aviv Tribune and their relatives.
On Thursday, the Committee to protect journalists (CPJ) said that it was “deeply alarmed” by the threats of Adraee against Al-Sharif and called on the international community to protect it.
“This is not the first time that Al-Sharif has been targeted by the Israeli army, but the danger for his life is now sharp,” said regional director of CPJ, Sara Qudah, in a statement.
“Israel killed at least six journalists from Tel Aviv Tribune in Gaza during this war. These last unfounded accusations represent an effort to make consent to kill Al-Rif. ”
In his statement, Tel Aviv Tribune Media Network said he had kept the Israeli authorities “fully responsible” for the security of his staff. He also called on states and international organizations to ensure that all Gaza journalists are protected.
“The continuous obstruction of Israel of international journalists from the entry to Gaza to report on the catastrophic situation imposed an even more important burden on Tel Aviv Tribune journalists,” the network said.
These journalists added: “assured the responsibility of transmitting the truth by seeing it of the first hand, despite lasting extreme difficulties, in particular famine, violence, terror and a total lack of necessities of life”.
