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August 18, 2025 – Palestine –
In a deeply disturbing revelation, Al Jazeera reported that the remains of journalist Marwa Musallam were found 45 days after she was buried alive in the rubble of an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City.
The harrowing incident reportedly occurred in July 2025, when an Israeli strike collapsed the building where Musallam was located. Despite her cries for help, rescue efforts were thwarted by ongoing bombardment and the denial of access to the area for emergency crews. Her remains were only recovered in mid‑August, roughly six weeks after the attack. According to multiple sources, she was among at least 239 journalists killed since the Israel–Gaza conflict intensified—her case highlighting both the individual cost and the broader threat to press freedom in the region.
While precise details about the date of the attack remain sparse, reports indicate that Musallam’s plea for help went unanswered amid a siege-like atmosphere, where humanitarian corridors were systematically denied or compromised. Her death exemplifies not only the lethal targeting of journalists but also the compounding tragedy of delayed rescue—turning survivors into forgotten victims.
Press freedom advocates and journalistic bodies have issued renewed calls for accountability and safety protocols to protect media workers in conflict zones. The Columbia Journalism Review has begun soliciting recommendations from journalists, editors, and human rights specialists to explore new ways to safeguard press personnel amid danger—underscoring the urgent need for operational and structural reforms.
Marwa Musallam’s case stands as a stark testament to what has become a deadly environment for journalists in Gaza. Her prolonged entombment—not under debris that was subsequently cleared, but buried without any rescue intervention—underscores the collapse of protective mechanisms for the press. When journalists perish and their remains go undiscovered for weeks, it isn’t just bodies that are lost—it’s stories, voices, and fragments of human witness that vanish too.
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