Palestinian media representative denounces 'systematic killing' of journalists in Gaza

By Selen Valente

BRUSSELS (AA) – A Palestinian media union representative denounced the systematic killing of journalists in Gaza.

The president of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) based in Ramallah, Nasser Abu Baker, expressed his grief over the loss of Anadolu cameraman Montaser Al-Sawaf last week in Gaza.

Abu Baker told Anadolu that Al-Sawaf was a very active journalist, like his father and brother, covering the events in Gaza.

“We are sorry to say that this is a systematic killing of our journalists in Gaza,” the president said and added that over 75 journalists were killed and 140 others wounded so far.

“They are not only numbers. They are humans, they are journalists, they are our friends, our colleagues,” Abu Baker said, noting that more than 1,200 journalists were displaced and sheltered in schools, with no food and water.

He noted that journalists were now forced to go to the southern Rafah border crossing.

“They (Israel) try to gather them there. And we are afraid that there's a plan by the Israeli army and the government to kill and prevent our journalists from covering war crimes and genocide against our people in Gaza,” Abu Baker explained.

He said he came to the European Parliament to meet with everyone and tell the truth.

Montaser Al-Sawaf, an Anadolu freelance cameraman reporting from Gaza, was killed in Israeli airstrikes last week, following a week-long humanitarian pause between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Al-Sawaf, his brother Mervan, and other family members were killed during Israeli airstrikes in the Ed-Durc neighborhood of southern Gaza.

After being seriously injured in the bombing, Al-Sawaf had to wait for an ambulance for about 30 minutes. Al-Sawaf was eventually transported to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital by a private vehicle, but there was no medical team present and he died.

He was laid to rest alongside his brother and other relatives in the city's al-Batsh cemetery.

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Palestinian territory on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with Hamas.

At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed and more than 43,616 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.