Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza
Gaza, May 4: Marking World Press Freedom Day, dozens of journalists in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, staged a protest on Saturday, calling on the international community to protect media workers amid what they describe as relentless Israeli targeting.
The protest, held at the Nasser Medical Complex, was organized by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. Journalists carried signs that read “Stop Killing Journalists”, underscoring the dire threat media professionals face in the conflict zone.
Speaking at the demonstration, Tahseen Al-Astal, the syndicate’s deputy head, accused Israel of committing crimes against journalists by “deliberately killing them and destroying their homes”. He described Gaza as “one of the most dangerous places in the world for media work,” citing the lack of safety, destruction of media institutions, and absence of basic tools for journalistic work.
According to the syndicate, 210 Palestinian journalists have been killed over the past 17 months of conflict, with hundreds more injured, displaced, or grieving lost family members. Media infrastructure has also been decimated, and violations against journalists in the West Bank continue to mount.
The Hamas-run media office released updated figures, stating that since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, Israel has killed 212 journalists, injured 409, and detained 48 others.
Calling the situation a “deliberate assault on press freedom”, the journalists demanded the immediate release of all detained media workers and urged international accountability for Israel’s actions.
“The world celebrates press freedom while Palestine endures unprecedented attacks on journalism,” the journalist body said in a statement.
World Press Freedom Day, established by the UN General Assembly in 1993, highlights the importance of media independence and journalist safety. This year’s commemoration comes amid what rights groups call the deadliest period for journalists in modern history, with Palestinian reporters suffering the greatest losses.
The protest also comes as Israel resumes its military operations in Gaza following the collapse of a January 19 ceasefire, reigniting a conflict that has already claimed over 52,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children.