German public broadcaster ZDF confirms an employee of its Palestinian partner organization, killed in Gaza, was a Hamas member, sparking controversy.
According to ZDF, Israel has produced proof that the individual is a member of the violent organization.
According to the broadcaster, all collaboration with Palestine Media Production (PMP), where the individual worked as an engineer, has been halted. For decades, ZDF had collaborated with the company.
Israel killed the 37-year-old in the central Gaza Strip city of Deir al- Balah over a week ago.
Another employee's 8-year-old son was also taken, ZDF reported.
The broadcaster requested an explanation from the Israeli military shortly after the murder.
The individual was later identified as a member of Hamas' military branch by Germany's Bild tabloid, which cited Israeli military sources.
He was not a random victim, the report said, "but had been specifically targeted."
At first, little information was released regarding the man's involvement in the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel or his part inside the revolutionary group.
How have Palestinian media organizations responded?
Palestinian media associations have condemned the payoff of their associates in Gaza, including the recent death of Ahmed Abu Mutair, the broadcast mastermind combined with ZDF’s Palestinian mate. They've stressed the extreme troubles journalists face while reporting under fire, especially as Israel has barred numerous foreign media from entering Gaza.
Media groups stress the critical part of Palestinian journalists who continue to risk their lives to bring news to the world despite ongoing drumfires. International campaigns, including coordinated demurrers by about 200 media outlets from 50 countries, demand an end to attacks on journalists and call for independent press access to Gaza.
Palestinian media associations and supposed tanks also condemn Western media for prejudiced content, frequently banning Hamas perspectives, which they argue leads to one sided narratives.