Israeli airstrikes injure two Turkish state TV reporters, kill 40 people

Duvar English

Israeli airstrikes on Aug. 26 have killed 40 people and injured dozens, including two crew members of Turkey’s state broadcaster TRT’s Arabic language channel TRT Arabi. 

The TRT Arabi cameraman and assistant were injured in the attack on Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. The Israeli military targeted a vehicle in front of a journalists' tent near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. TRT Arabi cameraman Muhammad al-Zeanin was injured by shrapnel in his eye, while assistant Muhammad Karaca and several other journalists were also wounded.

The Foreign Ministry issued a written statement following the attack, condemning the Israeli military’s assault on a vehicle in front of the journalists' tent and the injuries to TRT personnel, calling it "Israel’s bloodstained attempts to cover up the truth."

The ministry reiterated this sentiment on its X social media account, adding, "We stand with all journalists working tirelessly to expose Israel’s oppression to the world. We extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to the TRT personnel injured in the latest attack."

According to a written statement by Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense Unit in Gaza, the Israeli military launched attacks on Gaza throughout the day that killed at least 40 people, five of whom were children. 

In the northern Jabaliya Refugee Camp, an airstrike targeted a group of Palestinians, killing three people. The statement also reported that at least two people died in another strike in the northern El Amudi area. Gaza City was hit by five airstrikes, killing 23 Palestinians.

The statement highlighted that two airstrikes in central Gaza killed at least seven civilians. In the southern city of Khan Younis, an airstrike on a civilian vehicle killed five Palestinians.

A Palestinian journalist also died in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. The Media Office of the Gaza government reported details on journalists killed in the Israeli strikes.

The Israeli military killed journalist Nayif Taima in its attacks on Gaza. The number of journalists killed in Gaza since the Israeli military began its assault on October 7, 2023, rose to 171. The Foreign Ministry statement condemned Israel for targeting journalists and held it responsible for their deaths. The statement called on the international community and press organizations to impose sanctions on Israel and to prosecute it for its crimes in international courts. 

Meanwhile, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby addressed questions on Gaza during a press briefing held via teleconference.

Responding to claims that negotiations in Cairo had collapsed, Kirby said, "There has been no collapse. The parties have made enough progress to shift the process to working groups, making it unnecessary for mediators and leaders to be present. The talks have reached a stage where the next logical step is for working groups to be formed to discuss the details."

Kirby emphasized that there was still much work to be done and that negotiations between the parties were ongoing. He noted that the working groups would discuss several key issues, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces and details of the prisoner exchange.

Kirby also stressed that the mutual attacks between Hezbollah and Israel had not negatively impacted ceasefire talks, stating, "Despite Hezbollah's rocket and drone attacks over the weekend, which Israel defended against effectively, these actions did not hinder the efforts of teams working to establish a ceasefire."

A senior Hamas official told Anadolu Agency that a new Israeli proposal would leave control of the 14-kilometer Philadelphi Corridor, along the Egypt-Gaza border, to Israel and maintain an Israeli military presence in Gaza, which the Hamas delegation communicated to mediating countries as unacceptable before departing Cairo.

However, Egypt's Al-Qahera News television channel reported that Egypt had reiterated to all relevant parties that it would not accept Israeli presence at the Rafah Border Crossing or the Philadelphi Corridor.

The report noted that Egypt continued its mediation efforts between the conflicting parties in Gaza, emphasizing that these efforts aligned with Cairo's national security interests and aimed to protect the rights of the Palestinian people. The report highlighted the significant efforts of the Egyptian security team, coordinated with Qatari and U.S. mediators, to reach a possible compromise between the two sides.