Reuters renews call for Israeli answers

Shana, a 24-year-old Palestinian, was killed on 16 April by flechettes that burst from a tank shell in mid-air. Eight bystanders aged 12 to 20 also died and at least seven others aged from 10 to 18 were hit in the incident, about 1.5 km from two Israeli tanks. Soundman Wafa Abu Mizyed, 25, was wounded in the wrist.

Reuters called on the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to release immediately the findings of its internal investigation in the interests of journalists’ safety. The IDF has yet to offer an account but has said its soldiers followed their orders and did nothing wrong.

It said it aims to avoid killing journalists but cautioned that they work in conflict zones at their own risk.

Reuters has written to the IDF to ask how, in that case, the troops failed to identify Shana as a cameraman.

“We have a duty to our employees and their families to determine exactly what happened on that day, both to establish the exact cause of Fadel’s death and to identify any action we can take to improve the safety of Reuters News staff on assignment in hostile environments,” Middle East managing editor Mark Thompson wrote last week.

“The IDF has had plenty of time to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of Shana.”

One of the questions Reuters has asked the IDF’s senior law officer is what specific information led the soldiers to dismiss the possibility that Shana was a television cameraman.

Israeli army spokesman Major Avital Leibovich said: “We are in the process of checking a few more details in order to complete the picture. As soon as we have the conclusions we will share them.”

An independent investigation commissioned by Reuters found there was no fighting in the area where Shana was working in view of the tanks. Shana’s car and blue body armour bore “Press” markings. The investigation found that Shana observed safety guidelines and took all reasonable precautions. He complied with Reuters’ own safety policy and his actions could not be interpreted as irresponsible or negligent in any way.

The delay in clarifying Shana’s death has made it difficult for media groups to set guidelines for staff in Gaza on how to avoid a repetition of the incident, creating problems for coverage of army activity in the Palestinian enclave.

Gaza journalists plan to demonstrate on Monday in protest at the lack of an Israeli explanation for Shana’s death. ■