Anadolu photojournalist explains how he captured evidence of genocide case against Israel

By Turgut Alp Boyraz

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli forces are dropping phosphorus bombs from the sky on people in the besieged Gaza Strip while prohibiting journalists from entering military zones, but Anadolu photojournalist Mustafa Alkharouf managed to enter and capture Israel's war crime, which has been presented as evidence at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Alkharouf told Anadolu that he had no idea he was "taking a photo of history," as clear evidence of Israel's use of phosphorus bombs in Gaza, which South Africa later presented in its genocide case against Tel Aviv at the ICJ.

He was one of the first journalists to make it to the conflict zones along the Gaza border, he added.

"When we arrived at one of the military zones (on Israel's Gaza border), they first refused us entry. There were also Israeli journalists among us. However, after lengthy discussions, we were allowed to enter the area and shoot," Alkharouf explained, describing how he took several photographs, including the one that is now part of the ICJ's war crime evidence against Tel Aviv.

He noted that he documented the location from every angle because it was impossible to return to the particular place again.

"I photographed everything on the spur of the moment. I was surprised that the photo I took was later used on international human rights platforms and presented as evidence of (Israel's) use of phosphorus bombs," he said.

The journalist said he decided to photograph everything in Palestine as part of history.

However, Alkharouf himself became a victim of Israeli forces' brutality on Dec. 15, when he was on duty in East Jerusalem photographing people performing weekly Friday prayers in the streets when Israeli forces severely beat him.

A group of Palestinians gathered to pray on the street near the Masjid al-Aqsa, where Israel had restricted Friday prayers, and the police first pulled a gun on Alkharouf, who was trying to take a picture of it, and then hit him in the face with the barrel, then knocked him to the ground and kicked him.

Several photographs taken by the Turkish global news agency Anadolu were presented as evidence at the ICJ, which is hearing a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

South Africa, which filed the case on Dec. 29, accused Israeli authorities of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It pleaded with the court for provisional measures to protect Palestinians, including halting Israel to immediately cease military attacks.

On the first day of the hearing on Thursday, South Africa presented a list of alleged genocidal acts by Israel, while Israel's side presented a defense against the genocide allegations on Friday.

Israel has killed 23,968 Palestinians in Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border offensive by Palestinian resistance group, Hamas. The military campaign has also caused mass displacement, destruction, and hunger.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar