At Least 57 Journalists Lost Their Lives in the Israel-Gaza War
The first month of the war between Israel and Gaza is currently regarded as the “deadliest month” for the press since the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) started documenting journalists’ deaths in 1992. As of November 28, the organization’s investigations reveal that at least 57 journalists and media employees were among the more than 19000 killed since the war began on October 7.
Of the 57 killed journalists and media employees, 50 were Palestinian, four were Israeli, and three were Lebanese. Besides, 11 journalists were injured during their assignments, and three others were declared missing, which raises significant concerns for their safety. In addition, 11 journalists were arrested. At the same time, media representatives are continuously faced with multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship, and even murders of their family members.
The organization specifies that it is unclear whether all the journalists were reporting on the conflict at the moments of their demise, but the CPJ has included them in the list while it keeps investigating the circumstances. The list is updated on a regular basis.
The Israeli forces have declared to the international news agencies they could not guarantee the safety of journalists working in Gaza where a ceasefire started on Friday. Gaza has also had several cases of disrupted communications, while journalists reported failures in telephone and Internet connection, especially in the northern territories.
“CPJ emphasizes that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties,” Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, previously declared. “Millions across the world are counting on reporters in the region to provide accurate information about the conflict. Journalists, like all civilians, must be respected and protected,” he added.
