A deadly attack on Israeli soldiers occurred near the city of Hebron in the West Bank, resulting in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers. This event took place while renowned journalist Hazem Badr was on his way to another assignment and inadvertently witnessed the attack.
Details of the Incident
Hazem Badr, an experienced journalist, was planning to cover the Palestinian olive harvest, which is known as a hotspot in the region. At 8:30 AM (0530 GMT), he was driving from his home in Hebron to Bethlehem to meet with peace activists. These activists, along with Palestinian farmers, were heading to the fields to support them against potential settler violence.
Badr noticed people running and talking about gunfire at a checkpoint about 300 meters away. He decided to move to a safe location and, wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet, hid behind his vehicle.
Impactful Images
During the gunfire, Badr took out his camera and began photographing the scene. After two or three minutes, he witnessed the shooters fall to the ground, but he did not know whether they had immediately lost their lives or were injured. His images provide detailed accounts of the shooters during the gunfire and then in a lifeless state, while Israeli forces heavily entered the scene.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, promised a strong response to this attack, which occurred just four days before the Israeli elections. Meanwhile, images released by AFP have attracted significant attention, and several Israeli media outlets mistakenly reported, without citing sources, that Israeli soldiers were investigating whether the journalist had any knowledge of the attack.
Soldiers told AFP that no investigation is underway in this regard. Additionally, the Jerusalem Post, citing anonymous police officials, reported that the AFP journalist is not under any suspicion. The Foreign Press Association, representing international media in Israel and the Palestinian territories, expressed concern over the false reports about Badr and stated that he is a seasoned professional who has bravely documented what he has seen.
The association emphasized: "Any suggestion to the contrary is unfounded, provocative, and dangerous for journalists trying to convey information to the global community."
