AhlulBayt News Agency: Journalists from over 20 African nations have united to form a new coalition, African Journalists Against Genocide (AJAG), in response to Israel’s systematic targeting of civilians and media workers in Gaza.
The coalition was launched amid growing outrage over the killing of more than 250 journalists during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza—making it the deadliest conflict for media professionals in the 21st century. According to Gaza health officials, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.
AJAG, spearheaded by Nigerian broadcast journalist Ireti Bakare-Yusuf, aims to amplify global calls for accountability and justice. In a joint statement, the coalition accused Israel of deliberately silencing Palestinian journalists to suppress coverage of the humanitarian crisis. “Without their voices, the world would be blind to the full scale of Israel’s genocidal campaign against a besieged population,” the statement read.
Abdulrasheed Bala, a communications scholar from Nigeria, praised the initiative: “This is a very important movement that deserves support. We condemn Israeli aggression and believe AJAG can raise global awareness—not just among journalists and civil rights organizations, but across the world.”
South African journalist Anna Weeks, who attempted to report from Palestine in the early 2000s, said: “Gaza is essentially a concentration camp now. People are being starved to death. It’s horrific. Journalists must speak out.”
From Botswana, Ernest Moloi condemned the killing of journalists, women, and children, calling on the international community to act against what he described as “ongoing Zionist aggression.” Zimbabwean journalist Munya Munaro added: “This is a blatant attack on journalism and humanity. Let it be clear—journalism is not a crime.”
AJAG has called on the United Nations and international press organizations to impose sanctions and demand justice, drawing parallels between Israel’s actions and apartheid-era South Africa.
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