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December 12, 2025- USA –
Pressure is mounting in Washington and beyond as U.S. lawmakers and international human-rights organizations demand accountability for what they describe as repeated and targeted attacks on journalists covering Israel’s war in Gaza. The calls follow a growing body of evidence documenting journalists killed, injured, or obstructed while reporting from Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, raising serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law.
On December 11, members of the U.S. Congress joined press-freedom advocates and rights groups in publicly urging Israeli authorities to conduct independent, transparent investigations into attacks that have claimed the lives of journalists and destroyed media infrastructure. Lawmakers stressed that journalists are civilians protected under international law and that targeting them — or failing to safeguard their work — undermines the public’s right to information and accountability during armed conflict.
Human-rights organizations, including press-freedom groups, highlighted multiple cases in which journalists were killed or wounded while clearly identified as members of the media. Speakers noted that many victims were local Palestinian journalists who continued reporting despite extreme danger, displacement, and limited access to safety equipment. They argued that the high death toll among journalists in Gaza reflects not isolated incidents but a pattern that demands urgent scrutiny.
Reporting from Gaza has become increasingly perilous as journalists face airstrikes, shelling, communication blackouts, and severe restrictions on movement. Local media groups say these conditions have made it nearly impossible to work safely, while foreign journalists remain largely barred from entering Gaza independently. As a result, Palestinian journalists have borne the overwhelming burden of documenting civilian suffering, mass displacement, and alleged violations of the laws of war.
U.S. lawmakers emphasized that accountability is essential not only for justice but also for preventing further harm. Some called on the U.S. government to use diplomatic leverage to press for protections for journalists and to ensure that military assistance does not enable violations of press freedom. Others warned that failure to act could contribute to a global climate of impunity, where journalists in conflict zones are increasingly treated as expendable.
The renewed calls come amid broader international concern over the safety of journalists worldwide, with Gaza repeatedly cited by press-freedom monitors as one of the deadliest places for media workers in recent history. Advocacy groups argue that without credible investigations and consequences for attacks on journalists, the risks will continue to grow — silencing critical reporting at moments when independent information is most needed.
For journalists working under fire, the coalition’s demands represent more than political statements. They are a plea for recognition that protecting journalists is fundamental to truth, accountability, and the preservation of human dignity during war.
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