Photographer resigns from Reuters, accusing agency of 'enabling' killing of Palestinian journalists

A journalist has publicly resigned from the Reuters news agency, accusing it of "enabling" the Israeli killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza.

Valerie Zink, a photojournalist who worked for the company as a contractor for eight years, posted a picture on social media of her Reuters card severed in two, saying it had been involved in a "betrayal of journalists" with regard to its coverage of the war on Gaza.

She referred to the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif earlier this month and the double-tap air strikes that killed five journalists - including Middle East Eye reporters - at Nasser Hospital in Gaza on Monday.

"When Israel murdered Anas Al-Sharif, together with the entire Al-Jazeera crew in Gaza City on August 10, Reuters chose to publish Israel’s entirely baseless claim that Al-Sharif was a Hamas operative - one of countless lies that media outlets like Reuters have dutifully repeated and dignified," wrote Zink.

"Reuters’ willingness to perpetuate Israel’s propaganda has not spared their own reporters from Israel’s genocide.

"Five more journalists, including Reuters cameraman Hossam Al-Masri, were among 20 people killed this morning in another attack on Nasser hospital."

MEE contributors Mohamed Salama and Ahmed Abu Aziz were also among those killed in the strike, which Israel has claimed was a "mistake" in its English language communications.

Israel's Channel 14 has meanwhile reported that the attack was approved by and coordinated with senior military commanders.

Reuters and AP letter

Abu Aziz started reporting for MEE in early 2024, becoming its primary correspondent in southern Gaza.

He worked under the name Ahmed Aziz for security reasons.

Israeli forces bombed the fourth floor of Nasser Hospital at around 11am local time (09:00 BST), then moments later, according to videos seen by MEE, fired a second missile deliberately at reporters, bystanders and first responders who had gathered to help recover the dead and wounded.

The method of attacking first responders to a strike is known as a double-tap attack.

At the time of the strike, videos showed smoke billowing from an upper level at the hospital as rescue workers, standing on what appeared to be a staircase, appealed to those at ground level for help. 

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Then the second missile struck the exact area where they had amassed, with a correspondent for Jordan's Al-Ghad TV channel crying out during a live broadcast that innocent people had been killed.

At least three other journalists were among the 19 Palestinians killed in the attack, including Mariam Dagga, a freelance reporter who worked with several media outlets including the Associated Press; Hussam al-Masri, a photojournalist with Reuters; and freelance reporter Moaz Abu Taha.

On Monday, Reuters and the Associated Press sent a joint letter to Israeli officials demanding a "clear explanation" for the killing of the journalists.

"We are outraged that independent journalists were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law. These journalists were present in their professional capacity, doing critical work bearing witness," the letter read.

The agencies also questioned the Israeli military's willingness to investigate itself in such incidents due to its track record and demanded an "urgent and transparent" accountability.

"Unfortunately, we have found the IDF’s willingness and ability to investigate itself in past incidents to rarely result in clarity and action, raising serious questions including whether Israel is deliberately targeting live feeds in order to suppress information," they said.

Since October 2023, Israel has killed 245 Palestinian journalists in Gaza.