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May 05, 2025 – Palestine –
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to an unprecedented number of journalist fatalities, with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reporting at least 124 media worker deaths worldwide in 2024—the deadliest year on record. Nearly 70% of these deaths occurred in Gaza, underscoring the region’s perilous environment for journalists. The CPJ and other organizations have documented a disturbing pattern of Israeli military forces targeting journalists and their families, raising serious concerns about press freedom and the protection of media personnel in conflict zones.
Reports indicate that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted journalists with various means, including missiles, drones, live ammunition, and artillery shells. Between October 2023 and early May 2025, 210 journalists were killed, with 90 fatalities occurring in their homes and 29 in displacement shelters. Additionally, 664 family members of journalists lost their lives, many due to strikes on journalists’ residences and makeshift shelters. The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) has condemned these actions as “deliberate and systematic,” accusing Israeli authorities of a coordinated assault on press freedom in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The CPJ has highlighted specific incidents where journalists were killed despite wearing press insignia in areas with no active combat, suggesting a targeted approach by Israeli forces. In some cases, journalists reported receiving threats from Israeli officials before their family members were killed, indicating a pattern of intimidation and retaliation. The CPJ has called for an end to the longstanding pattern of impunity in cases involving journalists killed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and has urged for greater transparency regarding the rules of engagement concerning media personnel.
The international community has expressed grave concern over these developments, with organizations like Reporters Without Borders warning that journalism is being systematically eradicated in Gaza. The lack of accountability and the targeting of journalists not only jeopardize press freedom but also impede the global community’s ability to understand and respond to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. The situation calls for immediate international intervention to protect journalists and uphold the principles of press freedom and human rights.
Reference –
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/21/israel-idf-accused-targeting-journalists-gaza
https://english.pnn.ps/news/47461
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