By Edward Makuzva
The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Zimbabwe strongly condemns the assassination of Palestinian journalists Hossam Shabat and Mohammed Mansour by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri highlighted that this deliberate attack is a blatant violation of human rights and press freedom aimed at silencing media voices and concealing Israel’s ongoing atrocities against the Palestinian people.
“The State of Palestine denounces these crimes as part of a systematic campaign to suppress independent reporting and prevent the world from witnessing the reality of the occupation’s brutal actions.The killing of Shabat and Mansour raises the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 to 208—making it the deadliest conflict for media professionals since World War II”, Ambassador Almassri explained.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri calls on international press freedom organizations and journalist unions to condemn these targeted attacks and demand accountability.
He reaveled that the protection of journalists in conflict zones is a fundamental obligation under international humanitarian law, and Israel must be held responsible for its violations.
The international community must not remain silent in the face of these atrocities. The lives of Palestinian journalists and civilians hang in the balance.
The situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with more than 50,082 Palestinians killed and 113,408 wounded. The relentless wave of bombardments since 28 March 2025 had killed more than 700 people have lost their lives, including 200 children in a single day.
The international community must take immediate action to end the violence and protect Palestinian civilians from further suffering. Silence is not an option.