DaysofPal- 175 male and female journalists have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of the Israeli genocide on October 7th, 2023, the Palestinian Media Forum revealed in a new report.
The report highlighted serious Israeli violations being committed during the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, in an effort to cover up its war crimes against Palestinian civilians.
The Palestinian Media Forum monitors the total Israeli violations against press freedom throughout a full year of genocide.
The Forum indicates that these numbers are likely to increase amid the ongoing Israeli war against Palestinians and the continued targeting of journalists, noting that the Israeli occupation’s crimes against press freedom have escalated, with the occupation army directly targeting journalists.
These Israeli violations include cutting off electricity and preventing fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip, as well as the deliberate targeting of communication and internet networks, which has resulted in the cold-blooded murders of 163 male and 12 female journalists.
Many of these journalists were killed alongside their family members, including children and wives.
The brutal Israeli aggression has also led to the injury of 365 journalists, with varying degrees of severity. Some of these injured journalists continue to require appropriate medical care, while others have suffered limb loss.
Journalists in the Gaza Strip, like other Palestinian citizens, have endured forced displacement and faced extremely challenging living conditions.
These circumstances have hindered their ability to continue their work, compounded by shortages of food and water, limited access to essential medical care, and a lack of medications in many cases.
This is compounded by feelings of fear and anxiety for their families and relatives, given the brutality of Israeli bombardments targeting various infrastructure facilities.
Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip have faced ongoing and systematic targeting by Israeli forces as part of the occupation army’s efforts to intimidate and suppress their professional duties.
This deliberate campaign aims to obstruct journalists from exposing the crimes of the Israeli occupation and sharing the suffering of the Palestinian people with the world.
The report indicates that the occupation forces destroyed the headquarters of 182 media institutions and press offices, along with their equipment and journalistic tools.
This destruction has significantly disrupted the operations of numerous media organizations and resulted in the suspension of printed newspapers.
Additionally, 25 local radio stations in the Gaza Strip have been closed, halting their operations. Many journalists have been harmed due to the targeting and destruction of their homes, facing repeated forced displacement and a lack of basic necessities for survival, including essential journalistic tools.
The Forum stated, “Words fail to capture the suffering of journalists who tirelessly work day and night to convey the plight of their people to the world.
They bravely confront significant dangers and harsh living conditions to fulfill their national duty and professional obligation of covering and documenting the genocidal crimes committed by the Israeli occupation army against civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
They are continually exposed to horrific and bloody scenes, while many of their journalistic tools have deteriorated or been damaged due to the intensity and duration of the attacks.
This situation is compounded by the limited effectiveness of professional safety equipment, which has proven inadequate against the deliberate targeting of journalists by the occupation army.
According to the report, the Israeli occupation army has arrested numerous Palestinian journalists, subjecting them to severe forms of torture and inhumane treatment, much like other prisoners held in Israeli facilities.
Institutions focused on prisoner affairs have identified 36 journalists from the Gaza Strip currently held in Israeli occupation prisons.
The Media Forum emphasizes that the scale of the ongoing brutal Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip needs a serious response from international organizations focused on press freedom and the protection of journalists.
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