LONDON: Israeli forces killed Moataz Mohammed Rajab, a Palestinian photojournalist and video editor for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV, in an airstrike on Gaza City late Wednesday, amid mounting international condemnation of Israel’s conduct in the war.

According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Rajab was killed while covering Israeli attacks near Al-Nafaq Street, when an airstrike hit a civilian vehicle. He died instantly along with other civilians.

The Government Media Office in Gaza condemned what it called the “systematic targeting and assassination” of Palestinian journalists, accusing Israel of a deliberate campaign against the press.

“This is not random,” the office said in a statement. “Israel is deliberately assassinating Palestinian journalists.”

It urged the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union and global press freedom organizations to move beyond statements and take tangible action.

Rajab’s death comes amid mounting pressure on Israel to deescalate its assault on Gaza and ease a months-long blockade that has plunged the enclave’s 2.3 million residents into a severe humanitarian crisis.

Calls for restraint have grown increasingly urgent in recent days. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Israeli actions had taken “tragic and unacceptable forms,” and urged an immediate end to the bombings and resumption of humanitarian aid. He added that the forced displacement of Palestinians “is not and never will be an acceptable option.”

In one of the strongest public criticisms yet from a close ally, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier this week questioned the justification for continued Israeli airstrikes, calling them “no longer comprehensible” and suggesting they go beyond the stated aim of defeating Hamas. Observers say the remarks reflect a growing shift in German public opinion.

As the war passes the 600-day mark, international calls for a ceasefire are gaining traction.

At least 44 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The latest attacks came a day after desperate civilians looted a World Food Programme warehouse in central Gaza, highlighting the deepening humanitarian crisis.

Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 54,000 people have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of them civilians, including thousands of children.

The toll on journalists has also been staggering. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 181 media workers have been confirmed killed: 173 Palestinian, six Lebanese and two Israeli.

The organization said that at least 17 journalists and two media workers were deliberately targeted by Israeli forces in what CPJ classifies as murder.

In a report issued Wednesday, CPJ said Israel’s blockade and hunger crisis are severely hampering the ability of the press to cover the war, with Gaza’s media sector now described as “dismantled” and “exhausted.”

DUBAI: Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, defended the country’s foreign policy and addressed the Arab world’s uncertain geopolitical landscape during a panel discussion at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai.

“How can you explain everything that is happening in the Arab world now?” asked Taher Baraka, presenter at Al Arabiya.

Gargash responded with a single word: “Uncertainty.”

Elaborating on this theme, he pointed to the fragile resurgence of nations such as Syria and Lebanon as central to the region’s current volatility.

“We have two Arab worlds,” he said. “There is the GCC, and then there are Arab countries that are suffering.”

Gargash emphasized the UAE’s proactive foreign policy, which he described as essential to fostering stability and peace for the Emirati people.

“We know we have to address the problems in our region,” he said. “Yes, there are challenges — but there is also significant potential.”

He also addressed criticism surrounding the UAE’s decision to normalize ties with Israel, a move that has sparked debate across the Arab world.

“Normalization is being used as a scare tactic,” he said. “But it is a sovereign decision, and for us, it was the right choice.”

Despite this stance, Gargash reaffirmed the UAE’s enduring support for the Palestinian cause.

“Our commitment to the Palestinian people and their right to a state remains unchanged. Their suffering brings us real pain,” he said.

Gargash argued that without normalization, the Arab world risks clinging to outdated strategies that perpetuate conflict and division.

Using the metaphor of a “bottleneck,” he described the political paralysis in Syria and Lebanon, where armed militias continue to undermine national sovereignty.

“We cannot have two armies in one country,” he said. “We need realistic priorities.”

Gargash highlighted the UAE’s role in supporting crisis-hit nations, pointing to the large Lebanese and Syrian diasporas in the Emirates.

“The UAE has been the breathing lungs for Lebanon and Syria during the height of their crises. Many of their citizens came here and thrived. If they can innovate here, they can innovate in Lebanon or Syria,” he said.