The funeral of journalists Saeed al-Taweel and Mohammed Subh, killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, Oct. 10, 2023. Credit: BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday strongly condemned the eradication of journalism and the right to information in Gaza by the Israeli army and called on states and international organizations to increase pressure on Israel to immediately cease this carnage.
In 124 days of conflict, at least 84 journalists have been killed in Gaza, including at least 20 in the course of their journalistic work or connection with it, according to RSF’s data. "Journalists are being decimated as the days of this interminable war go by, through incessant Israeli strikes from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip. Journalists who have survived these four months are living a daily hell: In inhumane conditions, they suffer shortages of all kinds, particularly of equipment, as well as regular media blackouts," the report said.
"In four months of conflict, Palestinian journalism has been decimated by Israeli armed forces with complete impunity, with a staggering death toll of more than 84 journalists killed, at least 20 in the line of duty. After filing two complaints with the International Criminal Court and making repeated appeals to states and international organizations, RSF is once again urging the UN Security Council to immediately enforce Resolution 2222 (2015) on the protection of journalists," RSF said.
"Journalists in Gaza have no way out or any place of safe refuge. Forced to flee to the south of the enclave since 7 October, the vast majority have taken refuge in Rafah, where the crossing point with Egypt is still closed and where an invasion of the city could lead to a new bloodbath. Rafah was described by Israel as a 'security zone' at the start of the conflict, the report added. Despite RSF's calls for the Rafah gate to be opened, the Israeli authorities continue to prevent Gazan journalists from leaving and to block access to the enclave for foreign journalists," it added.
The war on Gaza which started after the Oct. 7 al-Aqsa floods in Israel has killed 27,840 people according to the health ministry in Gaza. The United Nations and other international institutions and experts, as well as Palestinian authorities in the West Bank — rivals of Hamas — say the Gaza ministry has long made a good-faith effort to account for the dead under the most difficult conditions.