CBS News Reports Its Own Cameraman Killed in Gaza, Omits Systemic Targeting of Journalists
📰 THE STORY: CBS News reports on the killing of three journalists in Gaza, including Abed Shaat, a cameraman who had worked with CBS. The article cites Gaza's civil defense agency attributing the deaths to an Israeli airstrike, framing it as a tragic outcome of ongoing conflict. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Since October 7, 2023, well over 100 journalists and media workers
have been killed in Gaza, making it the deadliest conflict for media professionals in modern history. This is not an aberration; the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented over 20 Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces between 2001 and 2022, with virtually no accountability. The 2022 killing of Palestinian-American Shireen Abu Akleh, shot by an Israeli sniper, prompted
international outcry but ultimately, no charges were filed against the perpetrators, setting a dangerous precedent for impunity. Double Standard: Western media outlets, including CBS, routinely call for investigations and accountability when journalists are killed in other conflict zones, particularly by governments deemed adversarial to Western interests (e.g., Russia, Syria). However, when
Israeli forces kill journalists, the language softens to 'airstrike killed,' 'caught in crossfire,' or 'allegations,' downplaying intent. This selective outrage normalizes the targeting of Palestinian journalists, denying their professional status and humanity. If a journalist working for Western media was killed by, say, Russian forces, the story would lead with outrage and demands for war crime