Gaza Journalist Killings Reflect Israel’s Pattern of Crimes Against the Press

August 24, 2025 – Palestine –

In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, press freedom advocate Sherif Mansour warned that Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza since October 2023 is not an isolated crisis but part of a decades-long pattern of silencing the press. He pointed to the staggering figure of more than 200 journalists killed in Gaza in less than two years, making it the deadliest place for media workers in modern history. Mansour emphasized that these killings directly violate the Geneva Conventions, which grant journalists protected status in conflict zones, and argued that the pattern reflects a broader strategy to eliminate witnesses to atrocities against Palestinians.

Mansour identified two key mechanisms behind these assaults. The first is deliberate targeting coupled with near-total impunity, allowing Israel to continue attacks without fear of accountability. The second is the systematic disinformation campaign that brands journalists as “terrorists in disguise.” He noted that such narratives not only strip reporters of their civilian protections but also legitimize violence against them in the eyes of military and political decision-makers. Mansour drew a parallel between the recent assassination of Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif and the earlier killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, both emblematic of Israel’s attempt to erase independent voices documenting war crimes.

Having spent over a decade as the Middle East and North Africa coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mansour now works on building solidarity across borders and creating platforms to amplify voices from Gaza. He has helped produce the documentary Gaza: Journalists Under Fire with Brave New Films, which highlights the lives and risks faced by reporters such as Bilal Jadallah, Heba al-Abadla, and Ismail al-Ghoul. By humanizing their stories, Mansour hopes to break through global indifference and mobilize broader advocacy.

Mansour’s message is clear: journalism in Gaza is facing an existential threat. He urges the international community to reject double standards that tolerate Israel’s targeting of media workers, to recognize these killings as war crimes, and to defend the essential role of journalists in exposing human rights abuses. Without immediate global action, he warns, the silencing of Gaza’s press will deepen impunity and erase vital truths from the historical record.

Reference – 

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/517104/Exclusive-Gaza-killings-mirror-Israel-s-decades-of-crimes-against