Condemn the brutal massacre by Israeli forces at Al-Shifa Hospital Complex and Killing of Foreign Aid Workers in Gaza
As Israeli's genocidal war continues unabated in Gaza, the Netanyahu government has banned the Al Jazeera media in the Israel. The move comes on the day when Israeli forces withdrew from Al-Shifa hospital complex, leaving behind a trail of massive destruction and dead bodies, crushed and mutilated, across the complex. Hundreds of Palestinians, including medical staff, journalists, and children, were killed, tortured and arrested during the week-long raid. The very next day, on April 2nd, seven foreign aid workers belonging to World Central Kitchen were massacred when their vehicle, despite being clearly marked as a humanitarian convoy, was bombed by Israeli forces. Amid the widespread famine and children drying of malnutrition in Gaza, World Central Kitchen had recently begun delivering food aid in northern Gaza. The attack on the aid convoy reflects the Israel's nefarious strategy to use hunger as a weapon of war to further its genocidal war in Gaza.
The move by Netanyahu to ban Al-Jazeera clearly is an attempt to wipe out any coverage of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and hide the truth from the Israeli population. Faced with ongoing massive protest in the country for a ceasefire deal, Netanyahu wants to hold to power by hiding the truth.
Al Jazeera has been a reliable outlet of news for the world, which has exposed the genocidal actions of Israel, especially since the attack of October 7th, 2023, and any move to shut down its office or stop its broadcast, is an attack on the freedom of press.
In May 2021, Al-Jalaa tower in Gaza, which housed Al Jazeera and Associated Press offices, was bombed by Israeli forces within minutes of a warning. In May 2022, Shireen Abu Akhleh, a journalist with Al Jazeera was shot dead by the IDF while covering a raid in the Jenin refugee camp. Journalists in Gaza are facing high risks, as they are trying to provide ground reports of the Israeli assault on the Palestinian people. The genocide in Gaza has claimed the lives of 33,800 Palestinians, among them are 95 journalists and media workers killed by the IDF. Furthermore, 16 are reported to be injured, and 4 are reportedly missing.
Moreover, as Gaza faces famine and medical catastrophe, more than 685 health workers have been killed and 900 wounded as Israeli forces continue to attack medical facilities and medical transport.
CPIML condemns the massacre at Al-Shifa hospital complex and the killing of aid workers. We also condemn the ban on Al Jazeera and the killing of Palestinian journalists by Israel. We call upon the Indian government to join the international community in ensuring a ceasefire in Gaza and imposing an international arms embargo on apartheid Israel to end the genocide in Gaza.
