Israel accuses Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza of terror ties; network denies allegations
Tel Aviv/Doha: The Israeli military has alleged six Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza as operatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, accusing them of actively supporting these groups. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shared photographs and claimed it possessed documents, such as personnel lists and training records, linking the journalists to militant activities.
"The IDF has disclosed intelligence proving that these journalists are affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, involved in propaganda efforts for these organizations," read an official statement posted on X.
Al Jazeera dismissed the accusations, calling them "baseless" and part of an ongoing campaign to suppress media coverage of the war. "This is an effort to silence the remaining journalists in Gaza, obscuring the war's harsh realities from global audiences," the Qatari-based network said.
The conflict between Israel and Al Jazeera intensified after Israeli forces stormed the outlet's Ramallah office a month ago, ordering its closure for 45 days. Al Jazeera emphasized its dedication to reporting from conflict zones, asserting that its journalists are "documenting the war's impact on Gaza’s civilians, not participating in any militant activities."
The media organization said that Israel is targeting journalists to suppress reporting of war crimes committed during the ongoing conflict, reiterating its mission to "bring the truth to light."
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BJP workers allegedly attack children during Christmas carol roadshow in Kerala’s Palakkad: Reports
Palakkad: A group of children celebrating Christmas through a carol roadshow was allegedly attacked by BJP workers in Kerala’s Palakkad district on Sunday night.
According to local reports, the incident occurred in Pudussery area of Palakkad, where over 25 children, mostly aged around 13, were moving from house to house singing Christmas carols. Reports state that a BJP worker identified as Ashwin Raj, along with others, allegedly assaulted the children and vandalised their musical equipment.
According to the police and eyewitness accounts, the children were using a band set that belonged to a local CPI(M) office, which had the party’s name written on it.
Allegedly objecting to this, the accused and his associates reportedly lured the children on the pretext of offering them money and then assaulted them. The band set used by the children was also smashed.
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The Town Police have arrested Ashwin Raj, a local BJP worker who has been named as the prime accused in the case. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the remaining accused who fled the scene.
Speaking to the media, one of the injured children said, “We were using the band just for fun. When they saw that it had CPM written on it, they took us aside and beat us.”
"We had given the band set that was in our office out of love when the children asked for it. The fact that these young children, who do not know the intricacies of politics, were attacked shows the criminal mentality of the BJP workers," local CPIM leaders expressed outrage.
A police officer told PTI that the arrested accused is already booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
The sections invoked include Section 192 (provocation with intent to cause a riot), Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), police added.
