Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS) staged a protest in front of the Israeli Consulate in Levent, İstanbul, condemning the killing of their colleagues by Israel in Gaza.
The demonstration, held simultaneously with European unions, called for the prosecution of those responsible for the deaths of Palestinian journalists. TGS President Gökhan Durmuş stated that 99 journalists have been killed since Israel's war on Gaza following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. The protest also expressed solidarity with journalists working in Gaza and the region.
Sharing data from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Durmuş provided information that out of the 99 journalists killed, 92 were Palestinian, 4 were Israeli, and 3 were Lebanese.
Durmuş, addressing the issue of civilian casualties, expressed,
"No one can stop this humanitarian tragedy unfolding before the eyes of the world." He continued by highlighting the violation of the Geneva Conventions, signed in 1949 after the Second World War, which explicitly state that journalists are considered civilians and should be protected during times of war and conflict. He emphasized that targeting journalists who document and disseminate violations against civilians is a war crime, and it needs to stop.
Calling for an immediate end to the conflict and urging all countries to prevent the targeting of civilians and journalists, Durmuş demanded the prompt trial and punishment of those responsible for killing journalists working in the public interest.
The protest concluded with journalists laying carnations in front of the Israeli Consulate in İstanbul as a symbolic gesture of solidarity for their slain colleagues in Gaza. (HA/PE)
