Gaza: 256 Journalists Killed Since October 2023 Amid Ongoing Israeli Attacks
Palestinian journalist organisations say at least 256 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, during what they described as sustained Israeli aggression against the territory.
In a statement, Gaza’s Government Media Office said the deaths occurred since the start of what it termed a “war of genocide,” condemning what it described as the systematic targeting of media workers. The office called on the International Federation of Journalists, the Federation of Arab Journalists and the wider international community to take urgent action to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure the protection of journalists.
The Palestinian Journalists Protection Center (PJPC) also reported that more than 60 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of 2025 alone. According to the centre, many were targeted while carrying out their professional duties, including inside their homes, displacement tents and hospitals.
Similarly, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said it had documented the arrest of between 50 and 65 journalists over the past two years, including those still in detention and others later released. It also cited cases it described as field executions, destruction of media offices and restrictions preventing journalists from accessing reporting locations.
International press freedom organisations, including the International Federation of Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, have strongly condemned the attacks, warning that targeting journalists violates international humanitarian law and poses a grave threat to media freedom in the region. They have called for an independent international investigation into the killings.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said Palestinian journalists have served as “our eyes and ears in covering the horrors of the war in Gaza,” expressing regret that they, alongside humanitarian workers, have “paid a heavy price.”
Reports published by the British newspaper The Independent over the past two years, citing United Nations and human rights documents, have also criticised the targeting of Palestinians and journalists, the destruction of media institutions and restrictions on coverage in Gaza and the West Bank.
Palestinian journalist bodies said the continued attacks on media workers represent a deliberate attempt to silence reporting and restrict the public’s right to information, as international calls for accountability and protection of journalists continue to grow.
