Censorship and Crackdowns: Israeli Journalists Face Rising Repression Amid Gaza War

In the year following Hamas’s October 2023 attack and the ensuing war on Gaza, Israeli journalists have faced an alarming rise in state repression, censorship, and intimidation, according to a new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). While much of the world’s focus has been on the devastation in Gaza, the media climate inside Israel has also deteriorated sharply, with press freedom increasingly sacrificed in the name of national security.

RSF outlines how the Israeli government has expanded censorship laws, particularly targeting media outlets perceived as critical of its military operations. In November 2023, the so-called “Al Jazeera Law” was introduced, giving authorities broad powers to shut down foreign broadcasters, seize equipment, and censor content deemed to “harm national morale.” The law has already been used to raid and shutter Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel.

Military censorship has become more aggressive. Israeli news outlets are required to submit reports related to national security to military censors before publication. RSF notes that thousands of articles have been modified, delayed, or blocked entirely since the war began, a practice that undermines the public’s access to independent information.

Arab-Israeli journalists, in particular, have borne the brunt of repression. Several have reported being physically assaulted, detained, or harassed by Israeli police and civilians. Others have faced legal action, such as being accused of incitement or “insulting a public official” for critical reporting. Foreign correspondents have also seen their work hindered by visa denials, restrictions on movement, and growing hostility.

The crackdown is occurring alongside a media environment already strained by polarization and political pressure. As over 170 journalists have been killed in Gaza, Israeli journalists say the space for critical or investigative reporting is shrinking rapidly. Many now self-censor out of fear of retaliation or legal consequences.

RSF warns that the deterioration of press freedom within Israel poses a threat not only to journalists but to democratic accountability itself. As the conflict drags on, the suppression of independent media risks entrenching state narratives and silencing vital scrutiny.