**The Hague—** On Monday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced a new filing with the International Criminal Court (ICC), alleging that Israel committed war crimes against Palestinians. The non-governmental organization (NGO) is calling for the ICC Prosecutor to investigate incidents affecting at least nine Palestinian journalists between December 15, 2023, and May 20, 2024.
RSF claims that the Israeli military has killed over 100 journalists in Gaza. The latest complaint highlights eight new instances of Palestinian journalists killed and one injured, all while performing their journalistic duties. The NGO asserts there are reasonable grounds to believe some of these killings were intentional, while others involved deliberate attacks on civilians by the Israeli army.
Earlier this year, the ICC Prosecutor stated that crimes against journalists are included in his investigation into war crimes in Gaza. Antoine Bernard, RSF's attorney, emphasized in a statement that those who kill journalists undermine the public’s right to information, a right that is even more critical during conflicts.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, based in New York, reports that at least 107 journalists and media workers have died in the Gaza conflict. RSF's complaint specifically mentions Al Jazeera reporters Hamza al-Dahdouj and Mustafa Tharia, who were killed in an airstrike on their vehicle in southern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed the journalists were directing drones that posed an imminent threat to Israeli forces, labeling them "terrorist operatives"—allegations denied by their families and Al Jazeera.
The Gaza conflict erupted following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, leading to over 1,170 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli data. On that day, 252 individuals were taken hostage and transported to Gaza. A November ceasefire enabled the release of about 100 hostages, but 121 remain in Gaza, with 37 confirmed dead, according to the Israeli army.
In response, Israel launched a comprehensive offensive in the Palestinian territory, resulting in at least 35,984 deaths, predominantly civilians, according to the health ministry affiliated with Hamas.