DaysofPal- The Palestinian Media Forum has submitted a detailed legal brief to Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, documenting violations committed against journalists in the Gaza Strip.
The submission came in response to a call issued by the United Nations, inviting human rights and media institutions to provide testimonies on the targeting of journalists ahead of a late-April deadline.
In its report, the forum accused Israel of pursuing a “systematic narrative eradication policy” since October 2023, aimed at silencing the truth by targeting those who report it.
The document states that 262 journalists have been killed during the conflict, arguing that these killings were not random but deliberate. It cited several cases, including the deaths of Hassan Aslih, Mariam Abu Daqqa, and Anas Al-Sharif, who were reportedly targeted despite wearing clearly marked press identification.
The forum also linked attacks on journalists to the targeting of their families, describing it as a method of intimidation and professional pressure. It referenced the killing of family members of Wael Al-Dahdouh, as well as the strike that killed Mustafa Al-Sawaf along with several of his relatives.
The submission further expressed concern over the enforced disappearance of three journalists since the start of the war, calling for immediate clarification of their fate. It also noted that around 50 journalists remain in detention under inhumane conditions.
In terms of infrastructure, the report highlighted the destruction of hundreds of media offices across Gaza, leading to a near-total paralysis of institutional journalism. More than 400 journalists have also been injured, some suffering amputations and permanent disabilities as a result of direct attacks.
The forum urged Albanese to incorporate these findings into her forthcoming report to the UN General Assembly and to call for an independent international investigation into the targeting of journalists, which it described as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
It also called for increased pressure to allow international media access into Gaza and for urgent protection mechanisms for journalists working in the field.
The forum said the timing of the submission is intended to ensure that these alleged violations are formally documented in international records and to help prevent those responsible from evading accountability.
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