UN: Israel using false accusations to justify killing of reporters in Gaza

Highlighting Israel's continuous crimes in Gaza, the UN Special Rapporteur stated that the regime is preventing international journalists from entering Gaza and is discrediting local reporters out of fear of being held accountable.

According to Al Jazeera, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern over the safety of journalist Anas Al-Sharif, saying the Israeli army is making false accusations against him. Al-Sharif is currently the last remaining Al Jazeera journalist in northern Gaza.

“We are deeply concerned about threats from the Israeli military against Anas Al-Sharif, the last Al Jazeera journalist in northern Gaza,” the Rapporteur said.

Emphasizing that the Israeli army accuses Al-Sharif and other journalists without evidence, the UN official added: “This is done to justify their killing. Israel bars international journalists from entering Gaza and seeks to delegitimize local reporters.”

The Special Rapporteur stressed: “The mass killing and arrest of Palestinian journalists is part of Israel’s strategy to suppress the truth. We demand protection for the brave journalists in Gaza, whose reports on the genocide could shake the world.”

The UN official further stated: “We urge the international community to prevent Israel from targeting Al-Sharif and other journalists in Gaza.”

According to the Rapporteur, Israel continues to deny the genocide in Gaza, but international public opinion is shifting.

He added: “We must pressure Israel to stop the killings. Israel wants to silence journalists so it can continue the genocide. Maintaining the flow of news from Gaza is crucial.”

The UN official stressed that Israel fears the truth and accountability for its war crimes, and that journalists in Gaza will not be safe as long as the war continues.

“Journalists are civilians under international law,” he said, “but Israel is massacring civilians.”