UN Experts Call For Urgent Medical Evacuation Of Critically Injured Journalist From Gaza

GENEVA (25 November 2024) – UN experts* today called on the Israeli authorities to facilitate without further delay the medical evacuation of Al Jazeera journalist Fadi Al-Wahidi, who was critically injured while covering the conflict in Gaza.

“Al-Wahidi has the right to receive urgent medical care and Israel has an obligation under international law to facilitate that right, but despite his life-threatening medical condition, the lack of medical facilities in Gaza, and urgent and repeated appeals from his doctors, his family and various press and journalists’ organisations, Israeli authorities continue to refuse to allow his evacuation,” said the experts.

Al-Wahidi was shot in the neck while reporting from Jabalia refugee camp on 9 October 2024, resulting in paralysis and severe neurological and respiratory injuries. Due to the collapse of medical facilities in Gaza and the ongoing military assault, he is unable to receive the medical care he needs there.

After repeated requests, another Al Jazeera cameraman, Ali Al-Attar, who was severely injured in an Israeli airstrike while reporting in Deir al-Balah on 7 October 2024, was finally allowed by the Israeli authorities to be evacuated to Jordan on 20 November 2024.

“We welcome the evacuation of Al-Attar and call on Israel to also agree to Al-Wahidi’s evacuation,” said the experts.

“It has not been lost on us that both Al-Wahidi and Al-Attar are employed by Al Jazeera, and we want to express our serious concern at Israel’s unrelenting campaign againstAl Jazeera, including the banning of the outlet, the raid on its office in Ramallah, targeted killing of its journalists and media workers and smear campaigns to discredit and endanger them,” said the experts.

The experts note that since 7 October 2023, 182 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Israeli strikes, 17 of whom are women, while two remain missing.

“The killing of Palestinian journalists, their persistent arbitrary arrest and detentions, the continued ban on independent media access into Gaza, persistent internet shutdowns, the destruction of media outlets, and displacement of the Gaza media community, have severely restricted reporting on the war and hampered documentation.

“The denial of medical evacuation or delays in approving requests seem to be part of the overall pattern of persecution, threats and attacks by Israel on journalists in the occupied Palestinian territory in blatant defiance of its international obligations. We condemn it wholeheartedly. Access to medical care must not become a weapon to intimidate and silence journalists or anyone that sheds light on the situation in Gaza,” the experts said.

“States that pride themselves as champions of media freedom must not remain silent. They should use all means of influence at their disposal to ensure that Israel cease such practices and respect the basic humanitarian norms, pending the complete cessation of hostilities in Gaza and beyond.

“The immediate evacuation of Fadi Al-Wahidi is a humanitarian imperative and an international obligation; we urge Israel to facilitate his evacuation immediately without further delay,” the experts said.

They have raised this case with the Israeli Government.

*The experts: Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967; Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

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