ANKARA

Türkiye’s ambassador to UNESCO on Wednesday called on the organization to show greater sensitivity and consistency in condemning the killing of journalists in Gaza, saying many cases have gone unacknowledged.

Speaking at UNESCO’s 222nd Executive Board session, Permanent Representative Gulnur Aybet said nearly 250 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, but the organization has issued condemnation statements for only 69 of them.

“Freedom of expression and the safety of journalists are at the very core of UNESCO’s mandate,” Aybet said.

She questioned the criteria used by UNESCO when deciding which killings to condemn and why the same level of concern shown for other regions has not been applied to Gaza.

Aybet warned that such “inconsistencies risk creating the impression that some tragedies are recognized while others are met with silence.”