Politics
11:12, 08-Apr-2018
Israeli army denies intentionally targeting Palestinian journalist
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The Israeli army on Saturday denied deliberately targeting a Palestinian journalist who was shot dead while covering mass protests on Friday near the border between the southern Gaza Strip and Israel.
The Israeli army has launched an investigation into the incident, said the army in a statement.
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) does not intentionally target journalists. The circumstances in which journalists were allegedly hit by IDF fire are not familiar to the IDF and are being looked into,” according to the statement.
Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja was reportedly killed by gunfire from Israeli soldiers. Hundreds of Palestinians, including Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, attended the funeral of Murtaja in Gaza, Palestinian sources said.
Colleagues of Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja, 31, who died of his wounds during clashes at the Israel-Gaza border on Friday, mourn during his funeral in Gaza City, April 7, 2018. /Reuters Photo
Colleagues of Palestinian journalist Yasser Murtaja, 31, who died of his wounds during clashes at the Israel-Gaza border on Friday, mourn during his funeral in Gaza City, April 7, 2018. /Reuters Photo
At least nine Palestinians were killed by the Israeli troops and about 500 wounded in the second mass protest along the Gaza border on Friday. And the total deaths have risen to at least 31 killed by Israeli fire since last week, according to Palestinian sources.
According to the Times of Israel, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Saturday night "I don't know who is or isn't a photographer. Anyone who operates drones above IDF soldiers needs to understand he's putting himself in danger."
"We saw dozens of cases in which Hamas terrorists used ambulances, dressed up as Red Crescent workers, and dressed up as journalists," added Liberman.
It is reported that the Palestinian press association denounced the murder of Murtaja, and announced plans to contact the International Court of Justice in The Hague regarding the matter.
The daily protests, dubbed “The Great March of Return,” began on March 30 along the Israel-Gaza frontier, reviving a longstanding demand for the right of return of Palestinian refugees to towns and villages from which their families fled, or were driven out, when the state of Israel was created.
Source(s): Reuters
,Xinhua News Agency