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Ismail Al-Ghoul (Template:Lang-ar; January 14, 1997 – July 31, 2024) was a Palestinian journalist and an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in the Gaza Strip.

On July 31, 2024, Al-Ghoul and Al Jazeera cameraman Rami Al Refee were assassinated by an IDF airstrike while covering the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh near his family home in the Northern Gaza Strip.

Career

Ismail obtained a bachelor's degree in journalism from the Islamic University of Gaza and began his work in the field of written journalism as a correspondent for local letters and Palestinian newspapers.

He later shifted to television, working with several media companies in Gaza.

Al-Shifa Hospital siege

On 18 March 2024, Ismail al-Ghoul, along with many other civilians, was arrested by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), during the Al-Shifa hospital siege. al-Ghoul was severely beaten by IDF soldiers and detained for 12 hours before being released.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, al-Ghoul claimed that Israeli forces attacked the hospital and targeted journalists, breaking their equipment and arresting them. Al-Ghoul said that the journalists were stripped, blindfolded, and forced to lie on their stomachs with their hands tied. If they moved, the soldiers would shoot at the ground in order to intimidate them. After about 12 hours, the journalists were taken for questioning.

The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders condemned the assault. They confirmed that al-Ghoul was beaten, and his equipment was destroyed. They also called for an end to such actions.

Assassination

Assassination of al-Ghoul and al-Refee

On 31 July 2024, Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Refee were in Gaza to report near the home of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, who had been assassinated earlier that day in Tehran, Iran.

Around 4 pm (PSDT), both journalists were assassinated by an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza. The attack was so severe that both of them were decapitated.

Al Jazeera's correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, reported on the aftermath from the hospital where the bodies of his colleagues were taken. He said, "al-Ghoul was sharing the suffering of the displaced Palestinians and the suffering of the wounded, and the massacres committed by the Israelis against the innocent people in Gaza." He added.

At the time of the attack, al-Ghoul and al-Refee were wearing media vests, and their car had clear signs identifying them as journalists. They had contacted their news desk just 15 minutes before the strike. During the call, they reported a strike on a nearby house and were told to leave the area immediately. They were on their way to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital when they were killed.

On 1 August 2024 the Israeli military posted a tweet on their official Twitter account bragging about assassinating al-Ghoul and claiming, without proof, that al-Ghoul was a Nukhba operative who participated in the 7 October attack:

🔴ELIMINATED: Ismail al-Ghoul, a Hamas Military Wing operative, Nukhba terrorist and @AJEnglish journalist

As part of his role in the military wing, Al-Ghoul instructed other operatives on how to record operations and was actively involved in recording and publicizing attacks against IDF troops. His activities in the field were a vital part of Hamas' military activity.

The IDF and ISA will continue to operate in order to eliminate terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre.

Al Jazeera refuted these claims, bringing up the fact that al-Ghoul was arrested and released by the Israeli military in March during an Israeli raid on Al-Shifa Hospital which “debunks and refutes their false claim of his affiliation with any organization.” An Israeli military spokesperson said they did not have anything more to say on the topic.

Reaction

Arab

• QPC strongly condemns as they described assassination of journalists Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Refee.
• Al Jazeera Media Network described as "Deliberate Assassination".

Al Jazeera Media Network has strongly condemned the targeted assassination of its correspondent Ismail Al Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al Refee by Israeli occupation forces. The journalists were killed by a missile strike while covering events in Al Shatei Camp. This attack is part of a broader pattern of systematic targeting against Al Jazeera's journalists and their families since October 2023.Ismail Al Ghoul was known for his dedication and professionalism, bringing global attention to the suffering of the people of Gaza and the actions of the Israeli occupation forces. His impactful coverage, including reports from Al-Shifa Hospital and northern Gaza neighborhoods, resonated worldwide. Despite personal hardships, Ismail remained committed to his work, ensuring that the reality of Gaza was broadcast to the world. The assassination of these journalists underscores the urgent need for international legal action against those responsible to ensure accountability. Al Jazeera condemns the ongoing violence against journalists in Gaza and calls for immediate attention and action from the international community. The network pledges to pursue all legal avenues to bring the perpetrators to justice and reaffirms its commitment to continue reporting on these grave violations, standing in solidarity with all journalists in Gaza.

— Al Jazeera

International

• The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed deep concern over the killing of Al Jazeera TV reporter Ismail Al Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al Refee, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg, speaking from New York City, emphasized that journalists are civilians and should never be targeted, demanding an explanation from Israel for what appears to be a deliberate strike. Al Ghoul and Al Refee were covering the aftermath of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination, reporting from his home in Gaza just an hour before they were killed. According to Al Jazeera's live coverage, the journalists were leaving the scene after receiving an Israeli order to evacuate when they were hit. Al Jazeera believes the journalists were deliberately targeted. Since the onset of the Israel-Gaza conflict last October, CPJ has documented the killing of at least seven Al Jazeera journalists and media workers.
• The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has filed three complaints with the International Criminal Court;

  We are shocked by the violent attack on two well-known Al Jazeera journalists. This is just the latest in nearly 10 months of crimes against journalists in Gaza, where over 120 have been killed. RSF calls on the Israeli government to immediately stop the violence against journalists, which is being committed by the Israeli Defense Forces and could be considered war crimes. We also urge the international community to put more pressure on ensuring that journalists in Gaza can work safely and that justice is served for those who have been killed. This massacre must end now

  — Rebecca Vincent, Director of Campaigns, RSF

• The Freedom of the Press Foundation responded to the Israeli military's tweet asking for evidence and calling the assassination a flimsy excuse to target a journalist by a media house that the Israeli military dislikes:

  Documenting a war isn't terrorism, it's journalism. If the @IDF can prove al-Ghoul was working for Hamas’ military, it should do so immediately. If not, this looks like a flimsy excuse for intentionally murdering a journalist from an outlet Israel dislikes.

References

1. ^ "IDF confirms killing Al Jazeera journalist, says he was Hamas operative". Reuters. 1 August 2024.
2. ^ "IDF confirms Gaza strike that killed Al Jazeera reporter, says he participated in October 7 massacre | The Times of Israel". Times of Israel. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
3. "Israel kills an Al Jazeera journalist and says, without evidence, he was a Hamas operative". Reuters. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
4. "9 وجوه بارزة من غزة حملت على عواتقها نقل الحقيقة رغم التهديدات". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 31 July 2024.
5. "الصحفي إسماعيل الغول للجزيرة: عناصر "القسـ.ـام" ظهروا فجأة شمال القطاع، وقاموا بعملية تسليم الأسرى في قلب المدينة وبحضور جماهيري وباستعراض القوة، والمكان الذي تم فيه التسليم دارت فيه معارك ضارية بين "القسـ.ـام" والاحتلال قبل أيام #صورة #حرب_غزة – خبر في سطر". www.newsinline.net. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
6. "Two journalists killed in Israeli airstrike as blast hits car in Gaza". Sky News. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
7. Zhang, Sharon (31 July 2024). "Israel Kills Al Jazeera Journalists Ismail Al-Ghoul and Rami Al-Rifi in Gaza". Truthout. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
8. "Israel's war on Gaza updates: World condemns Al Jazeera journalist's arrest". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
9. "مستشفى الشفاء: الجيش الإسرائيلي يدهم المجمع في غزة ويعتقل 80 شخصا من بينهم "نشطاء". BBC News عربي (in Arabic). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
10. ^ "Witnesses: IDF assaulted, detained Al Jazeera journalist in hospital raid". Committee to Protect Journalists. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
11. "x.com".
12. admin (31 July 2024). "War on Journalists – Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Rifi Killed by Israeli Bombing in Gaza". Palestine Chronicle. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
13. ^ "Al Jazeera journalist, cameraman killed in Israeli attack on Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
14. "Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera journalists near Ismail Haniyeh's home in Gaza". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
15. ^ Shuham, Matt (2 August 2024). "'ELIMINATED': Israel Brags Of Killing Noted Al Jazeera Journalist In Gaza". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
16. "Israel Defense Force on X". Twitter. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
17. Lamari, Tawfik (1 August 2024). "QPC strongly condemns assassination of journalists Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Rifi". Gulf Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
18. Ebrahimi, Soraya. "Al Jazeera condemns killing of its journalists in Israeli air strike". The National. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
19. "Al Jazeera journalists Ismail Al Ghoul and Rami Al Refee killed in Gaza". Committee to Protect Journalists. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
20. "Freedom of the Press on X". Twitter. 1 August 2024. Archived from the original on 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.

External links

• Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman killed in Gaza | Al Jazeera Newsfeed on YouTube
• Two Al Jazeera Journalists Were Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza – The New York Times

• 1997 births
• 2024 deaths
• Assassinated journalists
• Deaths by decapitation
• Murdered Palestinian journalists
• Israeli war crimes in the Israel–Hamas war
• Islamic University of Gaza alumni
• Photojournalists
• 21st-century journalists
• Al Jazeera people
• 21st-century Palestinian journalists
• Assassinated Palestinian journalists
• Civilians killed in the Israel–Hamas war
• Deaths by Israeli airstrikes
• Extrajudicial killings by the Israeli military
• Journalists killed by Israeli security forces
• Palestinian reporters and correspondents
• People from the Gaza Strip