The Commentator reports:
An Islamic Jihad local commander was killed today in an Israeli air strike on a tower that is used by many international media outlets, a source in the terrorist group has said.
It was initially reported that the dead man was the owner of a computer store on the third storey of the city centre building, however it has come to light that Israel’s targeting of the building is in fact legitimate.
The news comes as many international media organisations claimed that Israel should avoid targeting buildings which house journalists, however Israel has assured the international media that it has indeed targeting terrorist facilities placed within or on top of the building, and that the building was used by terrorist outfits to house command and communication posts.
It’s the second strike on the building in two days. The Hamas TV station, Al Aqsa, is located on the top floor.
Islamic Jihad sent a text message to reporters today stating that Ramez Harb, a leading figure in the Al Quds Brigades, was killed by the Israeli strike.
On Sunday, Reporters Without Borders insisted that Israel should bring an end to the attacks on the building, while Israel insisted that media organisations should instead move out. The Reporters Without Border statement reads:
“Reporters Without Borders condemns Israeli air strikes targeting news organizations in Gaza City today and calls for an immediate end to such attacks…. Attacks on civilian targets are war crimes and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Those responsible must be identified.”
Now that it turns out that the dead man was, indeed, an Islamic Jihad “militant”, I expect that Reporters Without Borders will get just as angry at the organisation which has put the lives of journalists at risk.
Obviously, they won’t be able to say anything against Islamic Jihad, as Western journalists are being held in Gaza as “human shields” according to the Guardian’s Harriet Sherwood
