CBS editor-in-chief refuses to condemn "Israel" after assassination of photographer working with her

The Israeli occupation assassinated three Palestinian journalists, including a photographer and collaborator with the American network "CBS NEWS", after targeting a vehicle accompanying a media crew while covering the distribution of humanitarian aid in the central Gaza Strip, in an incident that sparked widespread condemnations from media and human rights organizations, in contrast to the silence of the network's editor-in-chief herself.

Field sources stated that journalists Muhammad Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Samir Shaat, and Anas Ghoneim were using a drone to film an activity of the Egyptian Relief Committee in the Al-Zahra area when an airstrike hit one of the committee's cars.

The spokesman for the Egyptian Relief Committee, Mohamed Mansour, told Agence France-Presse that "the Israeli army criminally targeted the car," while the occupation army announced that its forces had detected "suspects operating a Hamas drone in the central Gaza Strip, in a manner that posed a threat."

Palestinian human rights and media organizations deny this narrative, pointing to the repeated accusation of journalists and civilian cadres of belonging to armed factions without providing public evidence.

CBS News said that Abdul Raouf Samir Shaat, who was in his thirties and recently married, had worked for years as a freelance photographer with the network and other international media outlets.

Agence France-Presse also issued a statement mourning Shaat, describing him as a committed journalist, and demanded a full and transparent investigation into his martyrdom, noting the increasing number of local journalists who have been martyred in Gaza amid the continued prevention of foreign journalists from entering.

Shaat's colleagues at the CBS News office in London expressed their sadness, describing him as a brave journalist. In contrast, no public comment was issued by Bari Weiss, the network's editor-in-chief, which drew criticism from observers and media professionals, especially given the known positions of her media platform "Free Press" which supports "Israel."

In contrast to this silence, international organizations defending press freedom were quick to condemn the incident. The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate described what happened as a deliberate assassination and a war crime, while organizations such as "Reporters Without Borders" and the "Committee to Protect Journalists" called for an independent investigation.

Sarah Qaddah, the regional director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said that "the targeting of a civilian car bearing clear markings led to the killing of independent photojournalists, despite the ongoing ceasefire," stressing that "Israel is obligated under international law to protect journalists."