Two media freedom organisations, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), have reported that Israel killed an unprecedented number of journalists in Gaza this year. RSF’s annual report found that the Israeli army killed 18 journalists in total, with 16 in Gaza and 2 in Lebanon, describing it as an “unprecedented massacre”. RSF has filed complaints with the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed against journalists by the Israeli army.
According to IFJ, a total of 104 journalists were killed worldwide in 2024, with more than half of them in Gaza. The Middle East and Arab World region had the highest number of journalist deaths, with 66 fatalities. The IFJ condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon, calling it a massacre of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian media professionals.
Israel denied the accusations, claiming that the figures were incorrect and stating that they do not intentionally harm journalists. However, the IFJ and RSF reports have highlighted the dangers faced by journalists working in conflict zones, with Gaza being particularly hazardous for media professionals.
In one incident, Israeli strikes targeted a tourism complex in Lebanon where journalists were sleeping, leading to condemnation from Human Rights Watch. Other incidents included the killing of Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza. The IFJ called on the United Nations to adopt a binding convention on the safety of journalists to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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