Ismail al-Ghoul

Ismail Al-Ghoul (Arabic: إسماعيل الغول; January 14, 1997 – July 31, 2024) was a Palestinian journalist and an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in the Gaza Strip.^[1]

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.^[1][3]

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.^[4]

He later shifted to television, working with several media companies in Gaza.^[5][6][7]

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.^[8][9]

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.^[10]

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.^[11]

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.^[12]

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.^[13][1]

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.^[13]

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.^[14]

On 1 August 2024 the Israeli military, through a post from their Twitter account, celebrated the assassination and admitted to deliberately targeting al-Ghoul and al-Refee.^[15] The Israeli military claimed that al-Ghoul was a Nukhba operative who participated in the 7 October attack.^[3] Al Jazeera dismissed these claims, citing that he was arrested and released in March during an Israeli raid on Al-Shifa Hospital.^[16][17] The Israeli military has, so far, refused to provide evidence of their claims.^[1][15]

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• QPC strongly condemns as they described assassination of journalists Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Refee.^[19]
• Al Jazeera Media Network described as "Deliberate Assassination".^[20]

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

• 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.^[21] 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.^[22]
• 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

• 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