US lawmakers urge action against ‘Israel’ after Gaza journalist killings

US lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to take a firm stance against 'Israel' over the killing of journalists in Gaza and restrictions on press freedom.

A group of 17 Senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling for US pressure on 'Israel' to guarantee the safety of reporters and grant independent media access to the territory.

The letter, made public on Wednesday, directly addresses an Israeli strike on August 10 that killed six journalists near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, including prominent Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif. The lawmakers stated that Israel has "not provided convincing evidence" for its claim that al-Sharif was a member of Hamas.

"Absent a compelling explanation of the military objective for this attack, it appears Israel is publicly admitting to targeting and killing journalists who have shown the world the scale of suffering in Gaza, which would be a violation of international law,” the senators wrote.

They also said that the continued killing of journalists and the ban on international media entering Gaza independently undermines "US moral leadership and credibility in the region and around the world." The letter urges the State Department to prioritize "journalists' immediate access to Gaza" and to get "guarantees from Israel that the IDF will not target them in its operations."

The total number of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, 2023, is now over 238, the letter said. The US State Department has not issued a public statement in response to the letter.