Top editors from The Associated Press and Reuters on Tuesday sent a joint letter to Israeli officials demanding a "clear explanation" for airstrikes on a Gaza hospital that killed five journalists on Monday. The letter was directed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and director of the government press office Nitzan Chen.
The deaths underscore growing fears that Israel's Gaza campaign is endangering journalists at unprecedented levels, threatening global press freedom. Journalists are civilians under international humanitarian law and should not be directly targeted in attacks.
"We are outraged that independent journalists were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law," Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni and AP executive editor and senior vice president Julie Pace wrote in their joint statement. "These journalists were present in their professional capacity, doing critical work bearing witness. Their work is especially vital in light of Israel's nearly two-year ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza."
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