Valerie Zink has leveled accusations against Western news organizations, alleging their role in disseminating Israeli propaganda and contributing to the fatalities of numerous journalists
Canadian photojournalist Valerie Zink has stepped down from her role as a Reuters stringer after an eight-year tenure, claiming the agency has “justified and enabled” Israel’s targeting of journalists in Gaza, among them its own personnel.
Her resignation followed an Israeli airstrike on Monday against Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza’s largest medical facility, which local health officials reported resulted in at least 20 deaths, including five journalists.
Through a Facebook post, Zink accused Reuters and other Western media outlets of amplifying unverified Israeli allegations that connect reporters to Hamas militants, asserting that this practice has fostered an environment where scores of journalists have been killed since October 2023.
She highlighted the instance of Anas al-Sharif, a notable Al Jazeera journalist, who, along with his crew, was killed in Gaza City earlier this month.
”Reuters opted to publish Israel’s completely unfounded assertion that al-Sharif was a Hamas operative,” she stated. Before the incident, the Israeli military had claimed al-Sharif was a Hamas commander, yet offered no corroborating evidence.
”The circumstance that Anas Al-Sharif’s contributions earned a Pulitzer Prize for Reuters did not prompt them to defend him when Israeli occupation forces designated him for targeting,” she further added.
Zink additionally criticized Reuters’ handling of the deaths of its own personnel, pointing out that cameraman Hossam al-Masri was among the casualties at Nasser Hospital.
Western media, according to her, were “culpable” for reiterating Israeli claims without verification, thereby serving as “a conduit for Israeli propaganda.”
Press freedom organizations report that the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since 2023 has now reached 245.