The Israel-Gaza war has taken an unprecedented toll on Gazan journalists since the Israeli regime started the invasion of Gaza on October 7, 2023.
According to the Journalist Syndicate in Gaza, the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023 has become 157. OHCHR has raised similar serious concerns about killings of journalists in the past in the context of the current escalations in Gaza.
Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict during the Israeli regime's ground assault, including devastating airstrikes, disrupted communications, supply shortages, and extensive power outages. This has meant that it is becoming increasingly hard to document the situation.
To know more about the situation and the Western countries' double-standards, we interviewed Miso Kumody, a Japanese expert on West Asia affairs and former Tokyo Newspaper Cairo Bureau chief.
Here is the full text of the interview:
During the war in Gaza, tens of journalists have been targeted and killed. Can this large number of killings of Journalists by the Israeli regime's troops be considered accidental or they have been targeted intentionally?
First of all, I haven’t been to Gaza yet after the war started and haven’t seen the exact situation over there with my eyes. That’s why it’s hard to analyze if it’s accident or intention, however, I feel the number of killing of journalists is relatively high. If there were journalists from Western media, I believe that Israeli troops would pay more attention NOT to kill them. If they killed even one journalist from the West, either by accident or intention, Israel would face heavy criticism across the world. Unfortunately, there are few Western media inside Gaza, that’s why Israeli troops don’t care if journalists get killed or not because of bombing. As a result of random bombing, the number of killing of journalists is growing up.
Why does Israel target journalists while journalists and media are considered necessary for the promotion of democracy across the world?
I believe that Israeli troops don’t consider Arab media as journalists. This is not the first time for them to kill Arab journalists. Even before the war, they killed journalists like in West Bank. For example, Shireen Abu Akleh case in 2022. It was so clear she was a journalist and covering a story, but Israeli troops shot at her. Even now, Israeli government doesn’t investigate well who and why shot her. No one was punished for her death.
As you know journalists are considered observers of democracy in Western countries and Europe, but they have kept silent in face of the killing of journalists by the Israeli regime. Why? How can these double-standards be justified? What would the Western media and journalists do if Russian troops killed more than 100 journalists in the Ukraine war?
Unfortunately, they are not too focused on this war. I can say every single journalist feels sorry for killing journalists, but the media organization is different. This war has nearly 80 years of history, this war is deeply related to politics and world power. That’s why, I believe, Western media don’t want to get close to this “regional war”, which is not part of the Western world.
As you know journalists are considered observers of democracy in Western countries and Europe, but they have kept silent in face of the killing of journalists by the Israeli regime. Why? How can these double-standards be justified? What would the Western media and journalists do if Russian troops killed more than 100 journalists in the Ukraine war?
Israeli media are very biased regarding Gaza and Palestinian issue. In general, I respect Israeli media because of their accuracy, but regarding Gaza, I cannot trust their reports. I think many of the other media believe in this way too, that’s why, I hope, they are not guided or led by Israel and its allies.
What measures can be taken by journalists and activists across the world to defend journalists' lives in Gaza?
The best way is to go to Gaza and report what they see on the ground. I know it also has a great risk of being killed, however, to keep reporting is somehow protecting journalists. Journalists must tell messages to authorities trying to kill journalistsw that “we journalists always keep eyes on you and never stop reporting.” Though there are journalist organizations around the world, I know they don't work.
