Bethlehem - WAN-IFRA -
As violence escalates, the global community must urgently strengthen efforts to protect Palestinian media workers and hold perpetrators accountable. This is not just a fight for journalists. It is a fight for the universal right to know, to speak, and to document reality – and it demands international solidarity, writes Palestinian News Network’s Maram Dorgham.
Free to republish, with author accreditation
For over a year and a half, Israel has systematically targeted Palestinian journalists amid ongoing war and international silence. At least 210 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces since October 2023 — some shot by snipers, others buried under rubble or burned alive. One of the deadliest attacks occurred on April 7, 2025, when an Israeli airstrike struck a journalists’ tent near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing veteran journalist Helmi Al-Faqaawi and injuring nine others, two of them critically.
Rights groups say the number of journalists killed in Palestine during this war exceeds the combined toll of journalists lost in both World Wars. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicatecondemned the Khan Younis attack as a “massacre,” urging the UN Security Council to intervene and calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to urgently investigate what it termed war crimes. The Syndicate affirmed its commitment to pursue all legal avenues to ensure accountability for those responsible.
A grim reality: Gaza’s journalists under relentless fire
Working in Gaza has become one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Journalists there face lethal threats, including targeted killings, arbitrary arrests, physical assaults, digital surveillance, and media censorship.
The collapse of infrastructure has made reporting even more difficult. Power outages, limited internet access, and immense psychological trauma from the loss of colleagues and loved ones severely impair their ability to operate.
“These attacks are not isolated incidents,” said journalist Khaled Abdel Hamid.
“They are part of a systematic attempt to erase the Palestinian narrative.”
Since the start of the war, dozens of journalists have been killed while on duty, with many others injured or displaced. “There is no effective international mechanism to protect us,” said journalist Fikri Ibrahim. “This is not random. This is a calculated campaign to silence the truth.”
Ibrahim stressed the importance of archiving photo and video evidence on secure platforms and continuing to file reports to international legal bodies. He also urged greater coordination with global press freedom organizations to enhance protections for journalists in conflict zones.
Despite daily threats, Palestinian journalists remain committed to telling their people’s stories — a task they view as both a professional duty and an act of resistance.
Too dangerous to be identified as press
Fear has driven many journalists to conceal their identities. Monjed Jadou, editor-in-chief of the Palestine News Network, described being assaulted by Israeli soldiers and settlers during coverage in Battir, near Bethlehem, in March. Since then, he has refrained from carrying press credentials or camera gear.
“Wearing a press vest has become a target on your back,” said Gaza-based journalist Salameh Younis. “Even internationally recognized protective gear offers no safety — we’re attacked regardless.”
The threat is compounded by digital suppression. Israel has intensified efforts to block Palestinian journalists’ social media accounts under the guise of “incitement,” limiting their ability to share updates and narratives with global audiences.
With the war dragging on, Gaza’s press corps faces not only physical danger, but the existential challenge of censorship and erasure.
The economic toll on Palestinian media
Beyond violence and repression, the war has devastated Palestinian media financially. A sharp drop in viewership and advertising revenue has forced many outlets to lay off staff or suspend operations altogether.
Israeli accusations against Palestinian media — often labeling them as propagandists or security threats — have prompted several international donors to pull funding. Others have paused support due to the broader political crisis, pushing independent media platforms toward collapse.
As a result, many journalists are now navigating not only physical threats but also job insecurity, lack of resources, and the fear of professional extinction.
Violations of international law and the failure to act
The targeting of journalists in armed conflict constitutes a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law. Under the Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocol I, journalists are considered civilians and must never be targeted. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantees freedom of expression, while Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the right to seek, receive, and impart information — including through the work of the press.
Yet these international protections remain largely unenforced in the case of Palestinian journalists. Rights watchdogs, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have repeatedly condemned the impunity with which Israel conducts operations against media workers.
Despite these condemnations, international institutions have largely failed to implement effective deterrents or accountability mechanisms. Legal experts warn that the continued inaction sets a dangerous precedent, weakening the very frameworks designed to protect civilian life in war.
A fight for the right to tell the truth
The assault on Palestinian journalists is not only an attack on individuals — it is part of a broader campaign against freedom of the press and the right to truth. As violence escalates, the global community must urgently strengthen efforts to protect Palestinian media workers and hold perpetrators accountable.
This is not just a fight for journalists. It is a fight for the universal right to know, to speak, and to document reality — and it demands international solidarity.
