YESTERDAY, Sunday 3rd May, was World Press Freedom Day, with Reporters Without Borders, declaring that global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years.
Gaza’s Government Media Office (GMO) said at least 262 journalists and media workers have been killed since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, in what it described as one of the highest death tolls for journalists in any conflict.
The GMO said the figures reflect a ‘systematic policy to silence the Palestinian voice and prevent the truth from being told’.
In addition to those killed, more than 420 journalists have been injured, some suffering severe, life-altering wounds, while at least 50 have been detained under harsh conditions.
Three others remain missing, with growing fears over their fate.
Parallel reports by Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups indicate that the targeting of journalists has been both widespread and deliberate, forming part of a broader campaign involving killings, arrests, harassment, and restrictions on media work across Gaza and the West Bank.
The reports highlight that many journalists were targeted while actively documenting air strikes and destruction on the ground.
Others have continued working under extreme conditions, including constant bombardment, communications blackouts, and the destruction of media offices, leaving the press environment in near-total collapse.
More than 240 journalists have reportedly been detained during the war, with over 40 still in custody, including around 20 held under administrative detention without formal charges. Among them are several female journalists.
Cases of enforced disappearance have also been documented, with at least two journalists still unaccounted for.
Testimonies from released detainees and rights organisations point to harsh detention conditions, including physical and psychological abuse, medical neglect, prolonged isolation, and denial of family visits. Some journalists were released in critical health condition after months in custody.
Palestinian institutions argue that these violations constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
They have called for urgent international action, including the protection of journalists, the release of detainees, and accountability for those responsible.
Despite the risks, Palestinian journalists continue their work, insisting that efforts to silence them will not succeed in erasing the reality on the ground.
