Campaign for Al Jazeera Journalists' Medical Treatment
Activists and human rights advocates have launched a campaign urging the Israeli authorities to permit Al Jazeera photographers Fadi Al-Wahidi and Ali Al-Attar to receive urgent medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip. This initiative comes as Al-Wahidi's family, particularly his mother Heba Al-Wahidi, has resorted to an open hunger strike, expressing desperation over her son's deteriorating health condition following an injury sustained during an Israeli bombardment on October 9.
Al-Wahidi was shot in the neck, resulting in paralysis, and has been waiting for over 40 days for approval to leave Gaza for treatment. Meanwhile, Al-Attar was injured by shrapnel on October 7, also due to Israeli military actions. The situation has drawn widespread condemnation from international organizations and media rights groups, emphasizing the urgent need for intervention to ensure the safety and health of journalists in conflict zones.
International Outcry and Calls for Action
The plight of Al-Wahidi and Al-Attar has been highlighted by various international figures, including Jonathan Dagher from Reporters Without Borders, who labeled the denial of medical treatment as a “crime.” He criticized the international community for its inaction in protecting journalists in Gaza. Aidan White, chairman of the Ethical Journalism Network, described the targeting of journalists as “horrifying,” while Professor Michael Lynk emphasized that international humanitarian law protects civilians, including journalists, from being attacked.
The Government Media Office in Gaza, represented by Ismail Al-Thawabta, has called for immediate international intervention to facilitate the exit of injured journalists for medical care. In response to the ongoing crisis, three international organizations have formally requested that Israel allow the two journalists to leave Gaza for treatment, stressing that the Israeli military must uphold its responsibility to protect civilians, including media personnel. Al Jazeera has condemned the targeting of its journalists, calling for accountability and immediate action from the international community to safeguard the lives of journalists in conflict zones.
