Anthony Bellanger, the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists, stated that with the killing of a journalist or media worker almost every day on average in the Israeli war on Gaza, this conflict has become unparalleled. According to the American Associated Press, at least 60 journalists have been martyred since October 7, a figure approaching the number of journalists killed throughout the Vietnam War nearly half a century ago. Meanwhile, other brutal wars in the Middle East haven’t reached the intensity of the current war.
Bellanger remarked that in any war, a conventional one like those in Syria, Iraq, or former Yugoslavia, this kind of massacre has not been witnessed. Since the resumption of brutal Israeli bombing on the Gaza Strip last Friday following a two-week humanitarian truce, the misery continues, as the Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists notes, adding, “Unfortunately, we received bad news this week, after the end of the ceasefire, with at least three or four more martyred.”
Bellanger stated that about 60 journalists have lost their lives in the war, including at least 51 Palestinians and one Lebanese. Most journalists were martyred in the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip. He explained that these numbers are based on all available sources used by the federation in its annual report.
In addition to human losses, many media institutions’ headquarters in Gaza have been destroyed. Bellanger estimates that there were about 1,000 journalists and media workers in Gaza before the war, and now, no one can leave.
Nasser Abu Baker, the head of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, says that despite this, local journalists, amid the rubble, continue to perform their work.
The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has resulted in a tragic toll on journalists. At least 11 journalists have been killed over the past week, with several more missing or detained. This situation is alarming for the international community, as journalists play a crucial role in reporting the realities of conflict zones.
Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have identified more journalists who died from gunshot wounds in the opening days of the war, including Ibrahim Lafi, a Palestinian photojournalist with Ain Media; Mohammad al-Salihi, a freelance photojournalist; and Mohammad Jarghoun, a journalist with Smart Media. Two more journalists from Ain Media, Haitham Abdelwahid and Nidal Al-Wahidi, are missing and may have been captured by Israeli forces