Al Jazeera has accused Israel of a “baseless fabrication” after six of its journalists were accused of being “terrorists”.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claims it has found documents and computer files proving that the six, who are all based in Gaza, have long-standing links to Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
It has published what it claims are details of their training, military rank, salaries and even injuries that they sustained.
The IDF says these documents “serve as proof of the integration of Hamas terrorists within the Qatari Al Jazeera media network”. However, the documents have not been independently verified.
Al Jazeera, which is the only international news company to have staff permanently based in Gaza, has denied the accusations, defending the journalists and insisting that Israel is simply trying to block all coverage of its military operations in the north of Gaza.
The journalists named by the IDF are Anas al-Sharif, Hossam Shabat, Ismael Abu Omar, Talal Arrouki, Ashraf and Alaa Salameh.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Shabat described the documents as “false and against international law”.
“The Israelis included me in this list because they are targeting journalists and influencers whose voices are being shared widely, particularly on the conditions in northern Gaza.
“I am not affiliated with any Palestinian militant group or wing. Me and my colleagues are independent journalists. We represent the voice of the people, and work among civilians to cover the Israeli army’s ongoing crimes.
“The Israeli army is trying to stop the truth from getting out. It is trying to silence the north, to silence those who share the truth.
“I have lost family members already because they were targeted because I am a journalist. I carry guilt in my heart.”
Tamer Almisshal is a Palestinian journalist who works as a presenter for Al Jazeera and insists the broadcaster is resolutely behind its reporters.
He told me: “Israel is targeting our journalists in the Gaza strip to stop them covering what is happening in the north.
“We consider these allegations to be baseless, unfounded and fabricated. We are the sole international media organisation that is reporting from Gaza because Israel has closed all the crossings that would allow journalists to get into Gaza. So we are the only people reporting from inside the strip.
“We consider that Israel has made these allegations to try to make the journalists too fearful to continue reporting, especially from the north where most of the casualties have been in the past three or four weeks.
“We still commit to maintaining the highest professional standards, and to keep going with our coverage from the ground.”
The IDF claims the documents show that the journalists had held roles including sniper, captain and training co-ordinator.
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‘Disturbed by IDF labelling journalists as terrorists’
It has denied fabricating any of the documents, saying the information was found on databases maintained by groups in Gaza.
However, while labelling the six as “terrorists” it has not provided any details of specific allegation of any activities.
Relations between Israel and Al Jazeera have been tense for years, with Israel accusing the Qatar-based network of being a mouthpiece for Hamas and Hezbollah.
In May 2022, Israeli forces shot and killed Shireen Abu Akleh, a well-known Al Jazeera journalist, as she reported from the West Bank.
The aftermath of an Israeli strike on northern Gaza this week. Pic: Reuters
Four Al Jazeera journalists have been killed following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza over the past 12 months.
In May, an Israeli court ordered that the network should stop broadcasting from Israel, the first time the country had ever closed down the operations of a foreign news outlet.
Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said: “I am deeply disturbed by this, and unfortunately it is part of a pattern by Israel, not just here but also in preceding conflicts, where they label journalists as terrorists but never produce any credible evidence.
“We are concerned that this is an attempt to excuse any future attacks on these journalists. We have looked at the documents they have produced and they don’t appear to be credible. But even if they were credible, they do not prove these individuals are active combatants, which is the only reason for targeting people. Journalists are civilians and must not be targeted in a war. To do so is a war crime.”
