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19:29 GMT
PARIS, April 26 (KUNA) -- The international press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders (RWB) on Thursday accused Israel of deliberately shooting another Palestinian journalist who was covering mass protests in the Gaza Strip near the border with Israel.
Reporter Ahmed Abu Hussein, 25, was fatally shot by an Israeli sniper on April 13 and died of his wounds yesterday, April 25.
He was working for "Radio Sout Al-Shaab when he was targeted while coving the demonstrations.
RWB expressed "utter consternation and incomprehension" at the shooting of Hussein, the second reporter to be killed by Israeli sniper fire this month in Gaza.
When he was shot, Hussein "was 700 metres from the border, in a calm place near a group of static demonstrators," witnesses said.
He presented no threat or danger to the Israeli forces when he was "suddenly brought down by a clearly direct and deliberate shot," a statement from RWB affirmed.
The assassinated reporter was clearly marked as a pressman and was wearing a royal blue helmet and had clearly-marked, yellow "TV" letters on his flak jacket, the statement added.
Reporters Without Borders called for a full and independent investigation into Hussein's death.
"Why was this journalist deliberately targeted when he was several hundred metres from the border? We call on the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to launch an independent investigation without delay, and to do whatever is necessary to ensure that those responsible for this deliberate crime against press freedom are brought to justice," RWB declared.
Hussein's death comes less than a month after Palestinian, clearly-identified reporter Yasser Murtaja was also shot by Israeli snipers; he died on April 6.
According to RWB, at least nine other Palestinian journalists have been injured by Israeli soldiers since the wave or protests began in Gaza on March 30. Most were hit by explosive or "dum-dum" type rounds, which cause massive internal injuries.
Israel is ranked 87th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom index, published by Reporters Without Borders. (end)
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