The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) expresses its steadfast solidarity with journalists working under unprecedentedly deadly conditions in Gaza and calls for their safety and freedom to report amid the ongoing war.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)’s latest figures, over 100 journalists and media workers have been killed since 07 October 2023, primarily by Israeli forces in Gaza. In addition to this, CPJ reports that 32 journalists have been injured and another 2 are reported missing.
The courageous work of journalists in Gaza provides a vital – and often sole – source of information regarding the increasingly dire situation on the ground as international media is denied access to the strip.
ECPMF also emphasises that the deliberate targeting of journalists operating in areas of armed conflict constitutes a war crime according to International Humanitarian Law. Journalists must be able to operate freely and safely from deliberate or indiscriminate attacks.
Journalists on the ground in Gaza continue to report courageously despite the threats posed by Israeli airstrikes and the ground assault, depleted resources, and regular communications outages. They must be guaranteed absolute safety as they continue to carry out their work providing the world with essential information.
