Ikram Kouachi
02 May 2025•Update: 03 May 2025
ANKARA
As the world observes World Press Freedom Day on Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR) has issued a stark warning about the escalating death toll of Palestinian journalists.
In a statement, the office confirmed the “killing of 211 journalists in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including 28 woman journalists.”
According to UNESCO, at least 47 journalists have been killed while on duty, and Palestinian authorities' latest figures show 49 journalists incarcerated in Israeli detention centers as of Tuesday.
“Press vests have transformed from a means of protection to a target for attacks,” one journalist told the UN Office, highlighting what the agency described as “strong indications” that Israel’s military campaign has deliberately targeted journalists, actions that, if confirmed, would constitute war crimes under international law.
Journalists detained by Israeli forces have reported to the UN Human Rights Office that they were subjected to beatings, humiliation, and sexual and gender-based violence during interrogations about their journalistic work, a pattern of abuse that the UN says “fits into a larger pattern of intimidation and smears against Palestinian press.”
Gaza: Reporting under fire
The UN condemned Israel’s continued refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza since the war began, except for highly restricted, army-controlled visits.
This, the agency says, has left Palestinian journalists alone to report under bombardment while simultaneously living through the violence they are covering.
“Their lives and work are under constant threat,” said the UN. “They are balancing fear for their families’ survival with the responsibility to document crimes against their people.”
West Bank: Silencing dissent
In the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, journalists continue to face harassment, detention, and violence.
The UN has verified numerous arbitrary arrests, particularly in the Jenin refugee camp and other flashpoints.
Both Palestinian and Israeli security forces have restricted journalists’ access to these areas, often detaining or threatening them, and in some cases using excessive force.
In a concerning development, Palestinian authorities banned several media outlets from broadcasting in January 2025, citing "incitement and misinformation" amid critical coverage of a major security operation in Jenin that lasted over six weeks.
The UN emphasized that these patterns of violence and suppression are not only a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law but also serve to obstruct accountability for ongoing violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
“The killing, detention, and harassment of journalists must end immediately,” the UN agency said. “Perpetrators must be held accountable, including by third-party states.”
“In times of conflict, the media plays a vital role in exposing abuses and ensuring justice,” the agency concluded. “Efforts to silence them are deeply disturbing and must not be tolerated by the international community.”
More than 52,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
