DaysofPal- A new report has revealed that widespread displacement has become a daily reality for the majority of journalists in the Gaza Strip, with an estimated 60% to 75% forced from their homes since the outbreak of the Israeli genocide in October 2023.
The findings were published by the Freedoms Committee of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in a report titled “Media Without Walls: Reality, Impacts, and Testimonies of the Displacement of Journalists in Gaza.”
According to the report, journalists in Gaza have faced unprecedented targeting throughout the war, affecting not only their lives but also their workplaces and homes.
“The war has not only sought to silence the voice but also to uproot its entire environment,” the committee stated.
The report estimates that approximately 265 journalists have been killed since the beginning of the Israeli genocide, one of the highest death tolls for media workers recorded in a single conflict worldwide.
However, it emphasized that the scale of displacement among surviving journalists is equally alarming.
Out of roughly 1,200 journalists in Gaza, between 700 and 900 are believed to have lost their homes or been forcibly displaced.
In addition, more than 80% of media offices and institutions have been partially or completely destroyed, leading to a near-total collapse of the media infrastructure in the territory.
As a result, journalists are now working under extreme conditions, often reporting from tents, sidewalks, or crowded shelters.
Mobile phones have become their primary reporting tools, while unstable internet connections dictate the pace of publishing.
Dr. Ahed Farwana, a displaced journalist, said he lost both his home and office within the same week.
“I no longer have a place to write,” he said.
“I work from my phone among people, sometimes while searching for water for my family.” He added.
Journalist Ola Kassab described working from within a shelter, struggling to find a quiet space.
“The hardest part is not the bombardment, but trying to concentrate amid overcrowding and fear.” she said.
Photojournalist Wissam Zughair added: “The camera is no longer the heaviest thing I carry, but the feeling that I may be documenting what could happen to me as well.”
The committee warned that the loss of shelter and workplaces has severe consequences for journalistic quality, safety, and the ability to verify information.
It also limits the protection of sources and weakens professional standards under extreme pressure.
With no safe workspaces, frequent power outages, disrupted communications, and scattered teams, journalism in Gaza has shifted from organized institutional work to an individual struggle for professional survival.
The report concluded that what is happening in Gaza represents not only the targeting of individuals but also a systematic destruction of the media environment.
It called for urgent international protection for journalists, the establishment of temporary safe workspaces, safeguards for media institutions, and psychological and professional support for affected journalists.
“Media without walls is no longer a metaphor,” the report stated.
“It is a daily reality for journalists who continue their work under the harshest conditions, carrying their message despite the loss of place and the absence of safety.” It noted.
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