Shbat, one of the genocide’s most prolific and courageous chroniclers, was only 23 and had been placed on ‘kill list’ by Israel
Palestinian journalist Hossam Shbat – one of the most profile and bravest of the Gaza journalists to chronicle Israel’s genocidal slaughter of civilians to survive the first fifteen months of the genocide, has been murdered today by Israel. He was only 23 years old and was one of several journalists placed on a kill-list last year by Israel in its efforts to silence news of its crimes in Gaza.
A haunting pre-written message posted to his Instagram profile announced his death:
If you are reading this message, know that Israel has killed me. I have fulfilled my duty to the fullest, and now it is your turn to speak for Gaza.
Shbat, who was wounded by an airstrike in November and was back on the streets within hours to continue reporting, was killed when Israel targeted his clearly-marked press vehicle as part of its deliberate and ongoing slaughter of those who have brought its crimes to the awareness of the world. He was the 208th journalist victim of the occupation.
The full message reads:
If you’re reading this, it means I have been killed—most likely targeted—by the Israeli occupation forces. When this all began, I was only 21 years old—a college student with dreams like anyone else.
For past 18 months, I have dedicated every moment of my life to my people. I documented the horrors in northern Gaza minute by minute, determined to show the world the truth they tried to bury. I slept on pavements, in schools, in tents—anywhere I could. Each day was a battle for survival. I endured hunger for months, yet I never left my people’s side.
By God, I fulfilled my duty as a journalist. I risked everything to report the truth, and now, I am finally at rest—something I haven’t known in the past 18 months . I did all this because I believe in the Palestinian cause. I believe this land is ours, and it has been the highest honor of my life to die defending it and serving its people.
I ask you now: do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories—until Palestine is free.
Just hours before his death, Shbat was reporting on the murder of Palestine Today journalist Mohammad Mansour in a targeted attack that also killed his wife and young child. Israel frequently murders families along with their targets.
In January, the popular Shbat was lifted on the shoulders of a crowd celebrating the announcement of the ‘ceasefire’. Israel breached the truce every day and has now escalated its slaughter of Palestinian civilians beyond anything seen in the first fifteen months. A large majority of the victims have been women and children – and Israel has killed more journalists than in any other war on record, including the six years of World War II, along with many hundreds of paramedics, doctors, nurses, emergency workers, aid workers and other vital civil workers.
Shbat’s and Mansour’s courage and determination shame the ‘mainstream’ so-called journalists of the UK and other western nations. Israel must not be allowed to hide its crimes by killing those who report on them, but the Starmer regime and others are actively participating in and enabling Israel’s terrorism, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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Hossam Shabat’s Last Article, courtesy, Drop Site News:
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/hossam-shabat-journalist-killed-gaza-last-article?publication_id=2510348&post_id=159773480&isFreemail=true&r=ezimo&triedRedirect=true
What sort of man is Keir Starmer? No moral code (condons genocide) , a hypocrite (supports Ukrainians yet not Palestinians) and a liar (his promises in order to become leader of Labour) all broken. The UK has an appalling leader – going into the history books as the very worst PM. And we have to take Johnson and Truss into account.
Starmer does not support the Ukrainians. He cynically uses them to damage Russia but he does not really care about them at all.
Palestinian journalists are Giants compared to the many spineless Western ones.
The former hold truth to power.
The latter with a few exemptions cower to billionaire (often tax dodging) owners & history will record a significant number stuck their heads in the sand when faced with Genocide by the Israeli Occupation Force.
WE who stand by Palestinians can hold our heads up high; WE are on the right side of history,
When the nation that was being slaughtered by a nation that called itself leaders of humanity but we’re instead were humans of the dark side have now itself become nazi slaughtering the innocent just like they were history repeating itself it’s shameful that our government and other governments allow this to happen shamefully are we for allowing this to happen
We (represented by possibly the worst government in the last 100 years) are shamed by our complicity in this genocide. We used to have a country of which we could be proud. We now have one that shames us all … governed by the “Labour Party” or at least the cabal that took it over for their own nefarious interests but have no rights in it.