Israel’s Silence on Journalist Deaths Signals Shift in Military Messaging

September 08, 2025 – Palestine – 

In a searing commentary, Israeli journalist Meron Rapoport highlights a disturbing transformation in the way Israel responds to the killing of journalists in Gaza. Where once the Israeli army would issue explanations, denials, or even apologies, it now increasingly remains silent, signaling a shift in both policy and moral positioning.

Rapoport recalls the 2022 killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, the Al Jazeera reporter shot during an Israeli raid in Jenin. At the time, international outrage forced the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to eventually acknowledge partial responsibility and express regret, even if belatedly. That incident reflected the lingering influence of international opinion and the need to appear accountable. But three years into the Gaza war, the situation has changed dramatically.

In August 2025, when Anas al-Sharif, a journalist for Al Jazeera, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, there was no apology and little pretense of justification. Instead, the IDF circulated claims linking him to militant groups—allegations made without credible evidence. This approach, Rapoport argues, demonstrates a new brazenness: not only dismissing the lives of journalists but weaponizing their deaths to further delegitimize Palestinian voices.

The commentary situates this shift within broader political currents. Israel’s far-right government has grown emboldened, with nationalist rhetoric shaping both military conduct and public discourse. Globally, diminished pressure from allies—exemplified by a political climate shaped by the return of Donald Trump—has further encouraged Israel to abandon the language of accountability.

For Rapoport, the silence is more than tactical; it is emblematic of the erosion of democratic norms and disregard for press freedom. The normalization of journalist deaths in Gaza represents a dangerous precedent: what was once treated as an aberration now risks becoming routine. In his view, this silence is not mere neglect but an assertion of impunity, stripping away the moral and legal safeguards meant to protect those who bear witness to war.

The article closes with a stark warning: when journalists can be killed without explanation, the truth itself becomes a casualty, leaving societies blind to the realities of conflict.

Reference – 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/08/israel-journalists-kill-army-gaza