Palestinian Journalists Are 'Epic Heroes'

Israel's strike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital is part of a "war of extermination." It has used "double-tap" tactics while Western media dehumanises Palestinians and downplays the deaths of over 270 journalists. U.S. support and global silence make the world complicit, said journalist Jeremy Scahill in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Israeli Attack on Nasser Hospital

Jeremy Scahill, co-founder of Drop Site News, condemned Israel's strike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital, calling it the act of a "serial killer masquerading as a nation state." He argued the attack reflects Israel's systematic effort to silence witnesses to its atrocities, targeting not only civilians but also journalists and medical workers.

Use of the "Double-Tap" Tactic

Scahill highlighted Israel's use of the "double-tap" strike - a method where an initial bombing is followed by a second attack targeting rescuers and first responders. He explained that this technique was originally pioneered by the U.S. during the so-called War on Terror in Pakistan and Yemen. He accused Israel of adopting and repeatedly employing this strategy to maximize civilian casualties and terror.

Shame in Western Media

Expressing "total shame" as a journalist, Scahill criticised Western news organisations for acting as "conveyor belts for Israeli propaganda." He condemned their consistent dehumanisation of Palestinians, recalling early false reports of "beheaded babies" and repeated insinuations that Palestinian journalists had ties to Hamas.

Scahill stressed that over 270 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza - whom he described as "the greatest journalistic heroes of our lifetime." Yet, Western outlets often referred to them merely as freelancers or contributorsrather than honouring their sacrifices.

Censorship and Silencing of Palestinian Voices

Scahill pointed to Israel's ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza, a move he argued was designed to prevent Western reporters from documenting war crimes. Instead of elevating the voices of Palestinian journalists on the ground, Western outlets largely ignored them. He emphasised that Palestinian reporters, many of them young, continue to risk and lose their lives daily, yet are denied recognition.

Criticism of Donald Trump's Response

The interview also captured former U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks, in which he downplayed the hospital bombing and shifted focus to claims about his role in securing hostage releases. Scahill dismissed these claims as lies, accusing Trump of glossing over mass killings. He contrasted Western outrage when adversaries like Russia harm journalists with the muted reaction to Israel's killing of hundreds of media workers.

U.S. Complicity and Global Silence

Scahill argued that if the U.S. government wanted to, it could end the conflict immediately by pressuring Israel. Instead, Washington provides political cover and weapons, making it complicit in atrocities. He criticised the lack of meaningful international outcry, warning that silence equals complicity.

Call for Real Journalism

In closing, Scahill issued a passionate call for a revival of adversarial journalism. He urged media outlets to:

• Hire and amplify Palestinian journalists reporting from Gaza.

• Challenge Israeli and Western propaganda rather than recycling it.

• Treat Palestinian reporters as equals, not expendable freelancers.

He insisted that true journalism requires telling the stories of those most affected, confronting propaganda head-on, and holding perpetrators accountable. Without this, he warned, the media remains complicit in what he called a "genocidal war."