Dawson, along with Palestinian journalist Ahmed Alnaouq and Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Almadhoun, expressed concerns that the IDF has deliberately targeted Palestinian journalists. The use of AI and spyware to specifically attack journalists in Gaza and the West Bank is considered a war crime. Since the conflict began, 94 journalists and media workers have been confirmed dead, 89 of whom were Palestinian.
Key takeaways:
- The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is allegedly using sophisticated technology, including a spyware called Pegasus, to target journalists in Gaza, according to the International Federation of Journalists' deputy secretary general, Tim Dawson.
- Pegasus can be secretly installed on mobile phones to read text messages, collect passwords, track GPS locations, and construct a picture of the work and associations of Palestinian journalists.
- Pegasus is believed to have been partnered with an AI-target creation platform known as "The Gospel", which generates targeting recommendations. This combination of AI and spyware is feared to have been used to specifically attack journalists in Gaza and the West Bank.
- 94 journalists and media workers have been confirmed dead since the conflict began, with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate reporting the death of 120 journalists as of 13 February, equating to 10% of its membership. This is considered a war crime.