The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a preliminary count of media workers killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. CPJ’s initial findings as of May 11, 2024, detail that at least 97 journalists and media workers were among the 35,000+ individuals killed since the hostilities erupted on October 7, 2023. It’s important to note that this conflict has proven to be the deadliest for media workers since CPJ began systematically documenting such tragedies in 1992.
Working in Gaza has posed significant dangers for journalists covering the Israeli ground offensive. Journalists and media workers face daunting challenges including devastating airstrikes, disrupted communication channels, shortages of supplies, as well as frequent power outages. As of May 11, 97 journalists and media workers were confirmed killed – comprising 92 Palestinians, 2 Israelis, and 3 Lebanese. There were also 16 journalists injured, 4 missing, and 25 detained. Furthermore, CPJ’s research uncovered numerous incidents of media workers being directly targeted whilst performing their duties in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. These incidents included arrests, assaults, threats, cyberattacks, and instances of censorship.
The preliminary report from CPJ provides details about identities of journalists and media workers, their affiliations, and the circumstances under which they were killed. Cases include an Al-Jazeera cameraman, Samer Abu Daqqa, who was killed by a drone strike in December 2023, while covering airstrikes that hit a UN school sheltering displaced civilians. There were also several journalists who died alongside family members when their homes were struck by airstrikes.
Carlos Martínez de la Serna, CPJ Program Director, addressed the matter stating that, “Since the Israel-Gaza war began, journalists have been paying the highest price – their lives – to defend our right to the truth. Journalists are civilians protected by international humanitarian law in times of conflict. Those responsible for their deaths face trials under international law and history’s unforgiving gaze.”
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has also reported on the dangerous situation for journalists covering the Israel-Gaza war. Palestine, according to RSF, has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for media professionals. Over 100 Palestinian reporters have been killed by the Israeli army since October 7.
Given that Israel is a party to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, a key foundation of international humanitarian law designed to protect civilians and non-combatants during armed conflict, the prevalence of journalist deaths in this conflict raises concerns. The law specifically provides that civilian journalists on professional assignment in war zones must be respected and protected, unless they are directly participating in the hostilities, as stated in the Rule 34 of customary international humanitarian law.
Beyond the aggression faced by journalists in the Israel-Gaza war, they also suffer from repression as victims. On May 5, 2024, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his cabinet’s unanimous decision to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel. This decision was made possible by a law that allows the government to close foreign news outlets deemed a threat to national security.
To read more about the CPJ’s report, please visit the full article.