Bill Otieno, a Kenyan journalist, has issued three demands to United States President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas to bring an end to a two-year conflict that claimed thousands of lives.
In an open letter issued on Wednesday, October 15, Otieno alleged the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza during the war, which formed the basis of his demands.
“Journalists are not collateral damage. They are observers protected under international law. And yet, in this war, press workers became deliberate targets, silenced for exposing what many wished hidden,” Otieno noted.
Otieno demanded that the two leaders acknowledge and honor the journalists killed in Gaza, whom he described as victims of attacks on press freedom.
Another demand by the journalist was that the two leaders commit to protecting media workers in all future conflicts in accordance with international law.
The third demand was for Trump and Netanyahu to take responsibility for the climate of impunity that allowed journalists to be hunted in the course of their duty.
As per Otieno, heeding the demands would be a show of accountability on the part of the two powerful leaders.
“Peace without accountability is a hollow declaration. True peace demands the courage to recognize uncomfortable truths, to admit wrongs, and to protect those who ensure the world is watching. Anything less dishonors not only the dead but also the credibility of this so-called historic deal,” he noted.
On Wednesday, October 8, Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of US President Donald Trump's plan for the Palestinian enclave, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could open the way to ending a two-year-old war that disrupted the Middle East.
In the ceasefire arrangement, the two feuding nations agreed to terms for the release of all hostages held by the Palestinian militants in Gaza, with Israel also releasing almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and withdrawing troops to an agreed-upon line.
Captives held by Hamas should be released within 72 hours of the Israeli government’s approval of the deal. Israeli officials indicated the process could be expected to start on Saturday.
The new development, part of a broader 20-point plan by Trump, also proposed the creation of an international body, the Board of Peace, to oversee Gaza’s post-war administration. Trump will chair the board, which will include other world leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
If the agreement holds, it would mark a major step toward ending the conflict that erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, sparking a crisis in the Middle East.
