- cross-posted to:
- worldnews@lemmy.ml
- cross-posted to:
- worldnews@lemmy.ml
Muhannad Tutunji, Haitham Abudiab and their BBC Arabic team were driving to a hotel when their car was intercepted.
They were dragged from the vehicle - marked “TV” in red tape - searched and pushed against a wall.
A BBC spokesperson said journalists “must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely”.
Mr Tutunji and Mr Abudiab said they identified themselves as BBC journalists and showed police their press ID cards.
While attempting to film the incident, Mr Tutunji said his phone was thrown on the ground and he was struck on the neck.
“One of our BBC News Arabic teams deployed in Tel Aviv, in a vehicle clearly marked as media, was stopped and assaulted last night by Israeli police. Journalists must be able to report on the conflict in Israel-Gaza freely,” a BBC spokesperson said.
The BBC has contacted Israeli police for comment.
They’re not being told to leave Gaza as a whole, they’re being told to leave the urban areas where Hamas are holed up to avoid civillains caught in the crossfire.
I know, but where are they supposed to go? The Gaza Strip is one of the most densely populated places on earth. Hamas is everywhere in Gaza. The initial deadline of 24 hours was even more impossible. These are not accidents, Israel knows this.
Israel has killed full Palestinian families in Gaza. This isn’t people “caught in the crossfire”. This is Israel bringing the crossfire to their beds and homes. This is Israel’s continuing ethnic cleansing.