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LONDON: The Israel Defense Forces have been accused of shooting and wounding two Palestinian journalists who were covering events in the occupied West Bank.
Photojournalists Louay Samhan and Mahmoud Fawzy were covering the raid in the village of Deir al-Hatab near the city of Nablus when IDF shot and wounded two journalists.
A 21-year-old Palestinian man, Alaa Zaghal, was killed and four others were injured in the incident.
“The Israeli authorities must conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the shooting of two Palestinian journalists and take all necessary precautions to ensure that the IDF does not shoot at journalists who are working,” the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Samhan and Fawzy, who worked for Palestinian Authority-funded Palestinian television, were wearing helmets and blue vests with “NEWS” written on the front and back when they were shot on Wednesday, the sources said.
Video of the incident showed two journalists being shot in the hands and legs before receiving medical attention. Reports from Israel and statements from the journalists’ employers confirm these facts.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society confirmed on Thursday that Samhan and Faqi were being treated in hospital and in stable condition.
According to news reports, the IDF was raiding the home of suspected Hamas militant Salman Amran at the time of the incident.
During the raid, Amran reportedly locked himself in the house and fired back before being arrested.
In May, the IDF came under criticism after Al Jazeera’s Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead by soldiers while reporting on the Israeli attack on Jenin.
Israeli officials first questioned the shooting of Abu Akler by IDF soldiers, but they later admitted that their firing likely contributed to her death.
“Even after Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing caused outrage around the world, the Israel Defense Forces were still at work opening up to clearly marked journalists,” said Justin Hillard, CPJ’s senior fellow for the Middle East and North Africa. gun.
“Israeli authorities must immediately investigate this shooting and implement procedures to ensure journalists are not targeted.”
The number of Israeli attacks in the West Bank has surged since March, with news reports accusing the IDF of nearly daily attacks on Palestinian homes, towns and villages.
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