Killing of Al Jazeera staff in Gaza ‘silencing journalistic voices’ – Tanaiste

Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza was “silencing of some of the few journalistic voices left” in the region, Ireland’s deputy premier has said.

Prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, 28 and four of his colleagues were killed while sheltering outside al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on Sunday night.

Another reporter was also killed in the Israeli airstrike.

The National Union of Journalists held protests at the Spire in Dublin and in Writer’s Square in Belfast on Monday evening to condemn the killing of reporters and camera operators in Gaza by Israel.

Ireland’s deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said he is to engage with his EU counterparts in relation to Gaza on Monday.

“Can I say firstly, just to extend the sympathy and solidarity of the people of Ireland with Al Jazeera and the journalists – the five staff members of Al Jazeera and the one other reporter – who have been killed in a horrifying attack in Gaza,” he said speaking outside Government Buildings on Monday.

“In many ways, it is the silencing of some of the few journalistic voices left in Gaza.

“Of course, any attack on any civilian – including, of course, any attack on any journalist – should always be absolutely condemned for what it is.

“At a time when the people of Gaza desperately need to see a ceasefire, an end to the violence, a surge in humanitarian aid, and of course, the release of the hostages, all of the indications from (Israeli President Benjamin) Netanyahu is of an Israeli government intended to go in the complete opposite direction to that.

“I do think it is interesting in recent days to have seen an increase in protest within Israel, Israeli people standing up and saying to their government ‘not in my name’.

“Israeli people wanting to live in peace and security as well, alongside the Palestinian people and, of course, Israeli people rightly wanting hostages released immediately too.”