The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and Reporters Without Borders have raised the alarm over the number of journalists who have died in Gaza since Israel began its bombardment of the territory in retaliation for Hamas’ deadly terror attacks on October 7.
The PJS said in a release on Monday that 11 journalists have died and another 20 have been injured in Gaza in the Israeli offensive on the Palestinian territory.
The journalists guild, which has branches in the West Bank and Gaza, said 48 newsrooms had been either destroyed or partially damaged in the Israeli bombing campaign.
According to the PJS, there are roughly 1,200 registered journalists based in Gaza.
The PJS statement comes as the overall death toll in the explosion of violence sparked by the Hamas attack continues to rise.
At least 1,300 people died and 3,227 people were injured in Israel, while 199 were taken hostage, in the Hamas attack, according to latest figures from the Israeli authorities.
In Gaza, 2,750 people have died and more than 10,000 people have been injured, according to figures released by the Gaza Health Authority.
More than million Gaza residents are also on the move after Israel airdropped leaflets on the north of the territory on Friday telling people to head south for their own safety.
Israeli troops are currently massing on Israel’s border with northern Gaza ahead of an expected ground invasion aimed at eliminating Hamas. The latter body, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, is designated as a terror organisation by the U.S., UK and the European Union.
The deceased journalists, according to the PJS, included Mohammad Al-Salhi, Mohammad Jarghoun and Mohammad Lafi, who were reportedly shot dead in separate incidents.
Freelance journalist Assaad Shamlakh was killed with nine family members in an airstrike on his home, while freelance photojournalist Mohammed Fayez Abu Matar was killed in an airstrike on Rafah City in the south of the strip.
Three other journalists Saeed al-Taweel and Mohammed Sobh and Hisham Alnwajha died in an aerial bombing of the Rimal neighborhood, which is home to a number of news orgs.
Additionally, another two journalists Nidal al-Wahidi and Haitham Abdel Wahed are reported missing.
Separately, Paris-based body Reporters With Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières) also put out a statement over the weekend following the death of Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah in Southern Israel on Friday.
Abdallah was with a clearly-marked media group covering skirmishes along the Lebanese-Israeli border when his camera took a direct hit. Two of his colleagues were also injured, while AFP and Al Jazeera staff were also hurt.
The Lebanese army said that according to its assessment Abdallah was killed by an Israeli missile. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said over the weekend it was “very sorry” to hear of the death of the journalist but did not confirm its responsibility.
RSF said that Abdallah’s death followed a deadly week for journalists in Gaza and that it was “stunned” by the “sad record”.
“RSF calls on the parties involved to implement their obligations to protect journalists during conflicts, and on international institutions to ensure that these protection measures are respected,” said RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire.
Asked for her position on the rights of journalists in the light of Abdallah’s death at a press conference in Beirut on Monday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said they needed to be respected.
“Journalists are part, obviously, of the people for whom we are seeking protection and the respect of their rights, and the respect of the right do carry out their profession which is frequently dangerous,” she said.
“And as you have mentioned, someone has just recently lost their life. We are addressing this message in the most open manner possible during our meeings. And in public: I did it yesterday and again today. I am doing it today. I think the efforts of everyone must converge: aid must get into Gaza, people must be able to leave, and for people who live in Gaza to have their rights to protection. Journalists are among those people.”
Deadline has contacted the media center of the Israeli Embassy in London for comment on the country’s protocol with regards to journalists in Gaza.
