As Israel’s offensive in Gaza has become the deadliest conflict for journalists in recent history, its military has repeatedly said it is not deliberately targeting the media…
However, an investigation by the Guardian suggests that amid a loosening of the Israel Defense Force’s interpretation of the laws of war after the deadly Hamas-led attacks on 7 October, some within the IDF appear to have viewed journalists working in Gaza for outlets controlled by or affiliated with Hamas to be legitimate military targets.
A person with knowledge of legal advice given to IDF commanders said journalists working for Hamas-affiliated media were seen to exist within a “grey zone” and there was a “problematic” view among some in the IDF that “whenever there’s someone getting a salary ultimately from Hamas” they were considered to be a legitimate target.
“Hamas invests a lot of resources in its propaganda teams. They often won’t do an activity if they don’t have a photographer. They must document everything,” a military intelligence officer said. “So some will tell you: ‘Look, a Hamasnik is Hamasnik.’”
Immediately thought the skeptics would say something like “any journo not paid by the IDF cannot be counted on to deliver the news the IDF wants and is therefore a threat to IDF morale”, or something like that, to justify shooting these negative elements.
I’m sure the real cognitive dissonance will sound something like that.
Targeting state media because you’re at war with that country is bonkers. Imagine the outcry if Ukraine were assassinating TASS reporters on sight.
And they aren’t even just murdering State actors. They are murdering journalists left and right from wherever. Just like aid workers and people trying to feed the Palestinians that they are starving to death on purpose.
“‘The grey zone’: how IDF views
some journalistseveryone in Gaza as legitimate targets”FTFY
W A R C R I M E S
Looks pretty black and white from Texas…
Y’all got different meaning for color grey?
I think people will read this and come away thinking the IDF operating in Gaza is specifically targeting only journalists. I’m not sure I’d say the same thing.
It looks like the IDF operating in Gaza is targeting everyone, including itself, the IDF.
“According to the IDF, as of May 2024, 49 of the 278 Israeli soldiers killed during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip were killed by friendly fire and in other accidents.[1]” source
So about 18% of IDF deaths in Gaza are killed by other IDF. If anyone is questioning that data its collected by the IDF and reported in an Israeli newspaper.
The IDF apparently shoots anything that moves, and that can include Hamas fighters, women, children, the elderly, aid workers from the USA, Palestinians, Britons, and yes journalists.
They have targeted media offices directly. There appears to be some level of targeting journalists. You are correct this is not always the case. https://theintercept.com/2024/06/25/israel-gaza-journalism-afp-office-bombing/
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AFP immediately contacted the Israeli military. The initial response was that there were no strikes on the building. Pressed for more details, the Israeli spokesperson said the army had carried out a strike nearby that “might have caused debris” but that “the building was not targeted in any way.” AFP said the extent of the damage cannot be explained by the military’s response and requested “an in-depth and transparent investigation.”
The four-month investigation revealed that, contrary to Israeli army claims, the AFP office was directly fired at by Israeli tanks. The tanks fired four times between 11:55 a.m. and 12:09 p.m. local time on November 2, from around 3 kilometers away.
Wilkinson ruled out the possibility of an accidental hit. He’s convinced that the soldiers operating the Israeli tanks intended to hit that floor precisely. “The weapon type and accuracy inherent in the Israeli tank weapon system means that the weapon hit the target it was aimed at,” he said. “The question of why remains unanswered.”
A key element in the investigation was a series of flashes of light appearing 4 seconds before every explosion in the live footage. The flashes are shots being fired. A calculation based on an analysis of the flashes and detonations concluded that they were fired from about 3 kilometers away. Further analysis of the speed and features of ammunition led to the conclusion that it was a tank that fired them. Only Israel has tanks in Gaza.
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That’s fair. People have to pick their own targets. If I ever encounter people that served in the IDF currently in the future I’ll definitely think of them as targets.
Everyone in Israel is conscripted in the IDF.
I’m aware.
Ah yes, because what we need is more hostilities.
Has 7.10 taught you nothing?
That ethnically cleansing a native population and throwing parties outside of their concentration camp doesn’t always end great?
