The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today demanded the release of a journalist reportedly abducted by Israeli forces at a checkpoint in Gaza during ongoing ethnic cleansing in the area.
Israeli forces kidnapped Al Jazeera English journalist Moath Al-Kahlout in northern Gaza, which has been under an Israeli forced starvation and ethnic cleansing campaign for months. He had been reporting from Kamal Adwan Hospital, but was forced out by relentless Israeli attacks on the medical facility. Al Kahlout’s last report before his abduction described an Israeli massacre at the Khalil Awida School in Beit Hanoun.
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“By killing, detaining and intimidating journalists, the far-right Israeli government seeks to hide its genocidal action in Gaza from the world. Despite these attempts at censorship, the international community is now well aware of Israel’s genocide. Moath Al-Kahlout must be released, and world media must be allowed to fully expose Israel’s genocidal actions of ethnic cleansing, forced starvation, slaughter, and mass destruction. These demands should be echoed by media outlets and journalists in our nation and worldwide.”
He noted that CAIR has repeatedly condemned censorship of Israel’s genocide and attacks on journalists by Israeli forces.
Yesterday, CAIR called a report by British watchdog AirWars, which showed unprecedented civilian casualties in Gaza in the first 25 days of the war, the “latest evidence” of the Israeli government’s genocidal intent.
Israel has slaughtered more 45,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities, and as many as 186,000 or more, according to the British medical journal The Lancet.
Earlier this week, CAIR condemned the Israeli regime for murdering Khaled Nabhan, a Palestinian grandfather who became widely known after a video showed him kissing the eyes of his slain granddaughter and calling her “soul of my soul.”
SEE: CAIR Condemns Israeli Regime for Killing Beloved ‘Soul of My Soul’ Grandfather in Gaza
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com