Palestinian journalist dies of wounds sustained in Gaza border clashes

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Sunday April 08, 2018 07:11 by Jason 0'Phelan - Freelance Journalist

Yaser Murtaja, a Palestinian journalist has died after succumbing to wounds he sustained during clashes with Israeli forces near the border between the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement from The Gaza Ministry of Health said that 31-year-old Yaser Murtaja, a cameraman for the Palestinian Arabic-language Ain Media news agency, died from his wounds on Saturday.

Palestinian health officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a live bullet had penetrated the side of his abdomen and he lost his life in hospital.

Video footage emerged showeing Murtaja lying wounded on a stretcher wearing a navy-blue protective vest marked 'PRESS' in large black capital letters.

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate said in a statement that it held Israel “fully accountable for this crime.”

It added that five other journalists were also shot during the deadly protests along the Israel-Gaza border, insisting they were wearing clothes clearly identifying them as members of the press.

Witnesses said Murtaja was close to the front of the protests in southern Gaza when he was shot.

The Gaza Health Ministry also announced on Saturday the death of another man, 20-year-old Hamza Abdel Aal, saying he was shot east of al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.

RSF accuses Israel of deliberate killing of journalists in Gaza

The media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Saturday condemned the killing of Murtaja and accused the Israeli army of the "deliberate shooting" of journalists in Gaza.

"Palestinian photographer Yaser Murtaja was wearing a vest marked "Press": he was obviously the victim of an intentional shot," said Christophe Deloire, the Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders, on Twitter.

"RSF condemns absolutely the deliberate shooting of journalists by the Israeli army."

Palestinian Authority condemns US stance vis-à-vis Gaza protests

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has slammed Washington’s approach towards the ongoing rallies in the Gaza Strip, and its refusal to hold the Tel Aviv regime and its armed forces responsible for the growing number of deaths.