At least five international journalists covering the violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians have been wounded, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Thursday.
The non-governmental organization said of the five journalists confirmed to have been injured, three of them were struck by live ammunition or rubber-coated metal bullets fired by Israeli troops.
An AFP photographer was among three other members of the press reportedly hit by bullets fired by Israeli forces, in attacks that CPJ is still investigating.
A French television correspondent was beaten by Israeli police after refusing to hand over a rubber bullet he picked up off the ground, CPJ reported.
Two cameramen were still in hospital Thursday, receiving treatment for wounds inflicted by rubber bullets.
"It is the professional duty of journalists to report on these events, and the use of violence to impede their work constitutes a grave violation of press freedom," said CPJ Middle East program coordinator Joel Campagna.
"We call on Israeli authorities to investigate these attacks to determine if they were in fact carried out with the intention of inhibiting the work of the press." - NEW YORK (AFP)
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