165 journalists murdered by the Israeli army
The press continues to be targeted by the Israeli army, both in Gaza and in the West Bank, where brutal attacks over the past two weeks have left many journalists injured.
Since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people, 164 journalists have been murdered in Gaza, and 1 in the West Bank. Another 104 have been arrested, 54 of whom remain in captivity.
spoke to Shuruq As’ad, spokesperson for the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), who reports an increase in violence against journalists in the West Bank over the past two weeks, particularly in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, but also in Hebron.
“Some have been injured, others have been attacked by bulldozers… It’s a really dangerous situation, and the press is being directly targeted,” she reports.
The PJS reports serious incidents of direct fire targeting media crews in the West Bank, with the aim of intimidating them from the scene and preventing them from covering the Israeli army’s crimes against Palestinians.
62 attacks were reported in August, compared to 10 in July, reflecting a very worrying increase. These attacks left at least 4 people injured, and on 3 occasions live bullets hit journalists’ cameras.
Last August also saw a significant increase in the excessive use of toxic tear gas, targeting 36 journalists in the West Bank, some of whom had to be hospitalized due to severe suffocation.
The PJS also reported 153 cases of physical and verbal attacks and various violations of journalists’ rights, ranging from intimidation to destruction of equipment, travel bans and threats.
While access to Gaza is still prohibited to the international press, 8 journalists were murdered there in August. While external journalists claim their right to go there to inform, Palestinian journalists blocked in Gaza benefit from no protection, and see their facilities bombed and their families put in danger.
In a blockaded territory with limited access by Israel and Egypt, with extremely limited access to electricity and means of communication, press workers in Gaza are prevented from transmitting to the outside what they see and hear.
99 Palestinian journalists have been arrested since last October, mostly in the West Bank. The number of journalists arrested in Gaza may be higher, with at least two missing, but information is difficult to obtain and verify, as Israel provides no information on its detainees. The two journalists are among 8,500 people missing, according to the Red Crescent.
Supporting journalists
Shuruq As’ad proudly announces the upcoming opening of the 3rd support center for journalists with the help of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), to provide assistance to journalists, many of whom have had their equipment destroyed, and provide them with access to stable electricity and internet. The first was opened in Khan Younis and then in Deir el-Balah, the last one will be located in the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City.
PJS and IFJ have been working together for many years to protect journalists in Palestine. The two organizations are working together to gather evidence to file a case to be brought to the International Criminal Court, demonstrating the systematic nature of attacks against media workers in Palestine.
“For months, the International Federation of Journalists has had evidence of the Israeli military deliberately targeting journalists, and some of these cases are currently the subject of a complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC). On May 20, 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas – including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant – for crimes against humanity and war crimes,” the IFJ said in a June statement.
The NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), for its part, has filed three complaints since October 7 at the International Criminal Court against Israel for “war crimes committed against journalists”, in October, December and May. In a press release, the NGO also announced that it had mobilized 100,000 euros in emergency aid for journalism in Gaza. Thanks to its local partner, ARIJ, more than 250 journalists working from Gaza for international and local media have thus been able to have access to professional equipment and humanitarian assistance.
“Journalists in Gaza are facing unprecedented challenges. They are covering a war that they are experiencing themselves. They have suffered immense losses, but continue to work in these dire conditions. While we cannot completely change their reality, we can provide them with the equipment they need to continue reporting, thanks to RSF and the team from the Palestinian production agency Media Town on the ground with us. These journalists are our colleagues and they are the world’s only window on Gaza. Our support goes beyond providing equipment; it gives them the means to continue their crucial work,” said Hoda Osman, ARIJ’s editor-in-chief and program manager.
