Ismail Al-Ghoul (Arabic: إسماعيل الغول; 14 January 1997 – 31 July 2024) was a Palestinian journalist and an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in the Gaza Strip.[1]
Killing of Ismail al-Ghoul | |
|---|---|
إسماعيل الغول | |
 | |
| Born | 14 January 1997 |
| Died | 31 July 2024 (aged 27) Al-Shati refugee camp, Gaza Strip |
| Cause of death | Assassinated by IDF[1][2] |
| Citizenship | Palestine |
| Alma mater | Islamic University of Gaza |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, correspondent |
| Years active | 2023–2024 |
| Employer | Al Jazeera Arabic |
On 31 July 2024, Al-Ghoul and Al Jazeera cameraman Rami Al Refee were assassinated by an IDF airstrike while covering the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh near his family home in the Northern Gaza Strip.[3][2]
Career
Ismail obtained a bachelor's degree in journalism from the Islamic University of Gaza and began his work in the field of written journalism as a correspondent for local letters and Palestinian newspapers.[4]
He later shifted to television, working with several media companies in Gaza.[5][6][7]
Al-Shifa Hospital siege
On 18 March 2024, Ismail al-Ghoul, along with many other civilians, was arrested by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), during the Al-Shifa hospital siege. al-Ghoul was severely beaten by IDF soldiers and detained for 12 hours before being released.[8][9]
In an interview with Al Jazeera, al-Ghoul claimed that Israeli forces attacked the hospital and targeted journalists, breaking their equipment and arresting them. Al-Ghoul said that the journalists were stripped, blindfolded, and forced to lie on their stomachs with their hands tied. If they moved, the soldiers would shoot at the ground in order to intimidate them. After about 12 hours, the journalists were taken for questioning.[10]
The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders condemned the assault. They confirmed that al-Ghoul was beaten, and his equipment was destroyed. They also called for an end to such actions.[11]
Assassination
Assassination of al-Ghoul and al-Refee
On 31 July 2024, Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Refee were in Gaza to report near the home of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, who had been assassinated earlier that day in Tehran, Iran.[12]
Around 4 pm (PSDT), both journalists were assassinated by an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza. The attack was so severe that both of them were decapitated.[13][1]
Al Jazeera's correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, reported on the aftermath from the hospital where the bodies of his colleagues were taken. He said, "al-Ghoul was sharing the suffering of the displaced Palestinians and the suffering of the wounded, and the massacres committed by the Israelis against the innocent people in Gaza." He added.[13]
At the time of the attack, al-Ghoul and al-Refee were wearing media vests, and their car had clear signs identifying them as journalists. They had contacted their news desk just 15 minutes before the strike. During the call, they reported a strike on a nearby house and were told to leave the area immediately. They were on their way to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital when they were killed.[14]
On 1 August 2024 the Israeli military posted a tweet on their official Twitter account bragging about assassinating al-Ghoul and claiming, without proof, that al-Ghoul was a Nukhba operative who participated in the 7 October attack.[15][16]
Al Jazeera refuted these claims, bringing up the fact that al-Ghoul was arrested and released by the Israeli military in March during an Israeli raid on Al-Shifa Hospital which "debunks and refutes their false claim of his affiliation with any organization."[17] An Israeli military spokesperson said they did not have anything more to say on the topic.[15]
Reactions
Arabs
- The Qatar Press Center strongly condemned what they described as the "assassination" of journalists Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Refee.[18]
- Al Jazeera Media Network described the killing as a "deliberate assassination".[19]
- Al Jazeera English correspondent Maram Humaid wrote a eulogy to al-Ghoul, stating, "Your death is the latest reminder of how Israel has silenced so many of us, too many to name, but each one is forever lodged in our memories as a hero taken away too soon."[20]
International
- The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed deep concern over the killing of Al Jazeera TV reporter Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al Refee. CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg, speaking from New York City, emphasized that journalists are civilians and should never be targeted, demanding an explanation from Israel for what appears to be a deliberate strike.[21]
- The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has filed three complaints with the International Criminal Court.[22]
- The Freedom of the Press Foundation responded to the Israeli military's tweet asking for evidence and calling the assassination a flimsy excuse to target a journalist by a media house that the Israeli military dislikes.[15][23]
- Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, stated, "I strongly denounce the deliberate targeting by Israel of two journalists in Gaza, which adds to an already appalling toll of reporters and media workers killed in this war".[24]
References
- ^ a b c "IDF confirms killing Al Jazeera journalist, says he was Hamas operative". Reuters. 1 August 2024.
- ^ a b "IDF confirms Gaza strike that killed Al Jazeera reporter, says he participated in October 7 massacre | The Times of Israel". Times of Israel. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel kills an Al Jazeera journalist and says, without evidence, he was a Hamas operative". Reuters. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "9 وجوه بارزة من غزة حملت على عواتقها نقل الحقيقة رغم التهديدات". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "الصحفي إسماعيل الغول للجزيرة: عناصر "القسـ.ـام" ظهروا فجأة شمال القطاع، وقاموا بعملية تسليم الأسرى في قلب المدينة وبحضور جماهيري وباستعراض القوة، والمكان الذي تم فيه التسليم دارت فيه معارك ضارية بين "القسـ.ـام" والاحتلال قبل أيام #صورة #حرب_غزة – خبر في سطر". www.newsinline.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "Two journalists killed in Israeli airstrike as blast hits car in Gaza". Sky News. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Zhang, Sharon (31 July 2024). "Israel Kills Al Jazeera Journalists Ismail Al-Ghoul and Rami Al-Rifi in Gaza". Truthout. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel's war on Gaza updates: World condemns Al Jazeera journalist's arrest". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "مستشفى الشفاء: الجيش الإسرائيلي يدهم المجمع في غزة ويعتقل 80 شخصا من بينهم "نشطاء". BBC News عربي (in Arabic). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Witnesses: IDF assaulted, detained Al Jazeera journalist in hospital raid". Committee to Protect Journalists. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "x.com".
- ^ admin (31 July 2024). "War on Journalists – Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Rifi Killed by Israeli Bombing in Gaza". Palestine Chronicle. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Al Jazeera journalist, cameraman killed in Israeli attack on Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera journalists near Ismail Haniyeh's home in Gaza". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Shuham, Matt (2 August 2024). "'ELIMINATED': Israel Brags Of Killing Noted Al Jazeera Journalist In Gaza". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Israel Defense Force on X". Twitter. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Al Jazeera refutes 'baseless' Israeli allegations against Ismail al-Ghoul". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ Lamari, Tawfik (1 August 2024). "QPC strongly condemns assassination of journalists Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Rifi". Gulf Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Ebrahimi, Soraya. "Al Jazeera condemns killing of its journalists in Israeli air strike". The National. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Humaid, Maram. "Dear Ismail al-Ghoul: The world has forgotten us. We won't forget you". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Al Jazeera journalists Ismail Al Ghoul and Rami Al Refee killed in Gaza". Committee to Protect Journalists. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "Targeting of Gaza's journalists continues: Ismail al-Ghoul and Rami al-Rifi killed in Israeli strike | RSF". rsf.org. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Freedom of the Press on X". Twitter. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "UN Human Right Expert denounces killing of two more journalists in Gaza and demands full accountability". United Nations. Retrieved 17 August 2024.