The European Union Commission has appalled by the number of journalists and media workers which have been killed by the strikes in Gaza since the start of the war in October, 2023.
The High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell who disclosed this in a plenary on the civilian deaths in Gaza revealed that about 100 journalists and media workers killed as per Reporters Without Borders’ recount, in less than six months.
According to him, “This is unprecedented. Journalists are civilians and their voices are crucial to keeping disinformation at bay and citizens being informed. We’re concerned about the newly adopted legislation giving temporary power to the Israeli Government to prevent foreign media networks from operating in Israel.
“This, coupled with the lack of access to foreign media to Gaza, raises concerns about what we know about what is going [on] there. We have to repeat once again that Israel must respect international law, implement the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures.
“To ensure the protection of all civilians, and allow humanitarian workers to do their lifesaving job without being targeted. For the first time, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recognised, that it was a dramatic error, that it was a mistake, the killing of these humanitarian workers”.
Bosell asked the question that how many mistakes have been happening before, without being recognised? “We insist on the fact that journalists must be protected, and [have] to [be] granted access to Gaza to ensure the freedom of press.
He disclosed that the recent decisions by Israel to open the Ashdod port and the Erez crossing points are positive news, but added that they have to be implemented. “It is not a matter of “announcing”, it’s matter of “doing”. And for the time being, it is done at a very slow pace and very low quantity. This is a fact.
“Quicker checks and better distribution remain crucial to alleviate people’s suffering. And is crucial that Israel complies with the UN Security Council’s binding resolution 2728 demanding full humanitarian access. And on that also, the Europeans are fully behind.
Bosell pointed out that a ground operation in Rafah must be avoided, adding that there are more than 1.3 million people on the streets of Rafah, without no more shelter than piece of plastic over their heads. Humanitarian consequences would be catastrophic.
“Everybody is saying that – the United States, the European Union, Member States. We insisted in the G7. We insisted at the Foreign Affairs Council. And then, we have to say that the work of UNRWA has to be supported.
“And yesterday, former Minister [for Foreign Affairs of France] Catherine Colonna’s report, that UN Secretary-General [Antonio] Guterres tasked her to do has been issued. I think that it important to read this report, important to know what this very independent and very professional group of people have been studying and what they tell us.
“I think there is a strong convergence of views between analysis recommendations of this Independent Review Group with the measures that we have been discussing at the European Union institutions.
“We are now waiting to see how do we continue our cooperation with UNRWA, because what the report says is that, they have not found any proof of the accusations made against some workers of UNRWA. And that, yes, there is some problem of political neutrality – but this is one thing, and another thing is to participate in the terrorist attacks of the 7th of October.
“We welcome the UNRWA cooperation and, as Ms Colonna said, it is an irreplaceable lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people; calling the international community to fund UNRWA in order to make this institution to continue their work”.
He paid tribute to the seven humanitarian workers killed who worked at the World Central Kitchen, and also the 249 people who were killed before. “I have to pay tribute to all the victims: of the Hamas attack, and the Israeli army against Gaza, to the more than 100 journalists and media reporters.
“We have to ask this tragedy to end. And I repeat: the European Council asked for the implementation of the United Nations’ resolution; asked for the immediate release of the hostages; asked for more access for humanitarian; asked for humanitarian pause that brings to a permanent ceasefire, most importantly, asked to look for a political solution.
“We cannot say, “this is just a humanitarian problem”. It is, and it has to be immediately faced, but it is a political problem. And we have to join our forces, as we agreed to do yesterday with the Gulf countries, in order to look for a political solution that can only be based – I believe, we believe, at the European Union – on the two-state solution.
“And if there is someone that does not believe in that solution, then he has to tell us which is the alternative. You do not want the Palestinians to have their own state, in order to live in peace and security side by side with Israel?
“If you do not want this solution, you have to tell the international community which other solutions you have in mind, in order to ensure peace, prosperity, and security for these two people that for too many years have been fighting for the same land”.
While condemning all terrorist activities, Borell made it clear that the Commission want humanitarian law to be respected. “We want the hostilities to stop, the humanitarian support to come in, the hostages being released and a political process to [be] put in place in order to look for a political solution to this dramatic war.”
Meanwhile, CPJ’s preliminary investigations showed at least 97 journalists and media workers were among the more than 35,000 killed since the war began on October 7th with more than 34,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank and 1,200 in Israel.