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October 05, 2024 – Palestine/Israel –
Israeli forces committed 185 documented violations against Palestinian journalists in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS). The figures, released in a detailed report, underscore a deliberate campaign to silence Palestinian media voices amid intensifying conflict and occupation.
Among the violations, the most severe were two journalist fatalities in Gaza and the injury of nine others in the West Bank by live ammunition while covering protests or military operations. These incidents, PJS states, were not isolated or accidental but part of an escalating pattern of aggression targeting journalists marked clearly as press.
The month also witnessed five arrests of media workers and ten raids on journalists’ homes and offices. In many cases, equipment was confiscated or destroyed, severely hampering reporting. Perhaps even more disturbing is the use of tear gas, with 23 journalists affected while on assignment, raising serious questions about the safety of covering even routine events under Israeli rule.
Censorship and restrictions were rampant. The report notes that 67 journalists were denied access to cover major events, effectively silencing their ability to report from the ground. The Israeli army also shut down Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office and confiscated its broadcasting tools. In Jenin, Nas Radio was raided, with journalists detained and studio equipment destroyed.
Since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023, at least 173 Palestinian journalists have been killed, over 190 injured, and 87 media institutions demolished. The September report highlights that these 185 violations are not aberrations but represent a continuation of this systematic erasure of Palestinian journalism.
The PJS is calling for urgent international intervention, including independent investigations, accountability under international humanitarian law, and the reinstatement of full media access in all Palestinian territories. Global press freedom watchdogs have echoed these demands, warning that without protection and justice, the right to inform and be informed in Palestine will be lost entirely.
In September alone, the cost of reporting in Palestine proved lethally high, and the silence it creates dangerously deep.
Reference –
https://www.farahnewsonline.com/?mod=news&id=116599
Israel Commits 185 Violations against Palestinian Journalists in One Month – PJS Says
