The Israel-Gaza conflict has taken a heavy toll on journalists, with unprecedented casualties among Gaza-based reporters since Israel’s declaration of war on Hamas following its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as of October 24, 2024, at least 128 journalists and media staff have died, marking this period as the deadliest for journalists since CPJ began recording in 1992. The casualties include 123 Palestinian journalists, two Israelis, and three Lebanese journalists, with an additional 41 injured and two reported missing.
Gaza-based journalists face extreme challenges as they report on the conflict, contending with Israeli airstrikes, mass displacement, food shortages, and the destruction of infrastructure. CPJ is investigating over 130 additional cases of possible journalist casualties, detentions, and injuries, though documentation is difficult amid these harsh conditions.
Carlos Martinez de la Serna, CPJ’s Program Director, emphasized that “journalists have been paying the highest price – their lives – for their reporting,” underscoring the severe risks they face. CPJ has confirmed that five journalists were directly targeted by Israeli forces, labeling these cases as murders. Investigations are underway into other potential cases of targeted attacks.
Since journalists are protected as civilians under international law, any deliberate targeting is considered a war crime. The International Criminal Court (ICC) had already signaled intentions to seek arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Alongside fatalities, journalists have faced threats, cyberattacks, and censorship. Many journalists’ offices and homes have been damaged, and family members have been affected. Despite the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) assertion that they do not target journalists and cannot guarantee their safety, CPJ has reiterated calls for accountability.
United Nations experts have raised concerns, noting the high rate of journalist casualties in Gaza, which, they stated, demonstrates a disregard for international law.
