The demonstrations and commemorative monuments broke out around the world and the calls for responsibility increase after four members of the staff of Tel Aviv Tribune were murdered in an Israeli strike on Gaza.
On Sunday, an Israeli attack struck a media tent outside the main door of the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, killing the Arab correspondent of Tel Aviv Tribune Anas Al-Sharif, 28, with his colleagues, the correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, 33, and Cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, 25 and Mohammed Noufal, 29.
Momen Aliwa, 23, and independent journalist Mohammed al-Khalidi, 37 years old.
The Gaza government’s media office said that at least 238 journalists have been killed since the War of Israel against Gaza began at the end of 2023.
The last murders caused indignation in the world. In Ramallah in an occupied West Bank, the Palestinians filled the streets, waving flags and carrying photographs of killed journalists.
Hundreds have rallied in Tunisia, demanding responsibility for attacks. Demonstrations took place in the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast and the capital of the Republic of Ireland, Dublin, while vigilles took place in Berlin, Germany and the Netherlands. Previous demonstrations took place in Washington, DC, as well as in London, Oslo and Stockholm.
In the American capital, Washington, DC, demonstrators gathered outside a Housing NBC, Fox News, Itn and The Guardian building.
The demonstrators “struck pots and pots, making the most noise as possible” to disturb the live broadcasts that occur inside, said Shihab Rattansi from Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting on the scene.
“The demonstrators say that their coverage of the genocide in Gaza gave Israel Room to kill so many Palestinians and, in particular, so many journalists,” he said.
“Their message is: you are no longer the guards. We know what is happening in Gaza. We know the genocide despite your best efforts,” he added.
Rattansi said that candles were lit for each journalist killed in Gaza, with special attention paid to Al-Sharif.
Hazami Barmada, one of the organizers of the Washington demonstration, DC, told Tel Aviv Tribune that media organizations had helped create “public consent for the murder of these journalists … by apologizing for the Israeli government to be targets and kills them”.
She added: “After their death, (media organizations) continue to justify illegal death, fire, bombing and murder of journalists, which is a crime against humanity and a war crime.”
Press Freedom Group Pen America said that the murder of Gaza journalists “raises serious concerns” and “could be a war crime”.
“This attack not only wiped out an entire team of journalists – at a time when there are fewer and less votes capable of presenting itself from Gaza – but has also taken six Palestinian lives in an assault that has already won thousands of lives,” said Liesl Gerntholtz, managing director of his Pen / Barbey Freed To Write.
“The fact that the family, friends and colleagues of (Anas) Al-Sharif must now defend him against uninstated accusations rather than being able to cry and honor his inheritance as a journalist adds to the shameful nature of this crime,” added Gerntholtz.
Pen America noted that Al-Sharif was previously part of a Reuters team which won a Pulitzer prize in 2024.
Elsewhere, a union of Australian journalists has published a statement condemning the “targeted murder” of Palestinian media workers this week and the murder of “nearly 200 others”.
The media, entertainment and arts alliance (MEAA), the largest organization representing journalists in Australia, said that “Al-Sharif reports have brought the reality of horrors inflicted by the Israeli government on civilians in Gaza to the world.”
“The targeting of journalists is a blatant attack on press freedom, and it is also a war crime. It must stop,” said Meaa, also calling on Israel’s ban on preventing international journalists from reporting to Gaza.
In addition, the United Nations condemned the murders, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calling for an “independent and impartial investigation,” said his spokesperson.
The killings intervene while the Israeli security firm approved the plan of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to extend military operations and occupy the city of Gaza.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court published arrest mandates against Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.