TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign ministry has condemned the Israeli regime’s “war crimes” killing Al-Jazeira journalists in Gaza, saying that the media will not protect those trying to silence witnesses of the atrocities.
“Press badges are not shields against genocide war criminals who fear the world will witness atrocities,” Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on X on Monday.
Five members of Al Jazeera’s Gaza Bureau were killed in “cold blood” when Israeli forces targeted a tent in Gaza city on Sunday night, according to Baguei. He said strikes came amid the ongoing “genocides, hunger, targets” of Palestinians, including Israel’s “food traps.”
“Strong condemnation is the bare minimum for a decent person,” he added.
Speaking later at weekly press conferences, Bagaei repeatedly made repeated “as strong as possible” condemnations of Iran’s attacks.
“Attacking journalists and the media is not permitted under any circumstances,” he said. “Those attacks are clearly considered war crimes during the war.”
He also criticized the Israeli Cabinet’s recent approval of a plan to occupy Gaza under the pretext of “liberating” Hamas.
“From the start, it was clear that the Israeli regime intended to seize Gaza and the West Bank and erase Palestine its country, identity and people,” Bagaei said.
He called on the international community to halt Israel’s “genocide measures” in Gaza and take “reliable urgent” measures to indict those responsible.
Al Jazeera’s team – Journalists Anas Al Sharif and Mohammed Kreike, photographers Ibrahim Zahel, Mohammed Nufal and Moammen Aliwa had been evacuated to designated press tents at Al Sifa Hospital when the Israeli strike struck. All five were killed.
The sixth journalist, Mohammad al-Chardi, was also killed outside the hospital on the same strike, Reuters reported, citing medical staff.
The Committee for Protecting Journalists (CPJ) says at least 186 journalists have been killed since the launch of Israel’s military campaign held in Gaza on October 7, 2023. Gaza authorities report 270 journalists and media workers were killed during the conflict.