The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in the Gaza Strip held a protest Sunday calling for international protection for reporters and an end to Israel’s “genocide” against media workers amid the ongoing war since October 2023.
Coinciding with the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the rally took place outside a solidarity tent run by the syndicate in the courtyard of the destroyed Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center in western Gaza City.
Journalists, correspondents from local and international outlets, and representatives of media and rights organizations took part, according to an Anadolu correspondent.
Participants raised banners demanding protection for journalists, an end to direct targeting, and guarantees for press freedom under “extremely dangerous” security and humanitarian conditions.
The Israeli genocidal war on Gaza began on Oct. 8, 2023, and has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded over 172,000, including women and children.
Despite a ceasefire in effect since October 2025, Israel continues daily strikes and a blockade that has killed hundreds more and worsened humanitarian conditions in the enclave, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians, including 1.5 million displaced.
Systematic targeting
Tahseen al-Astal, deputy head of the journalists syndicate in Gaza, said Palestinian journalists continue to carry out their work despite a “policy of systematic targeting” by Israel.
“The Palestinian journalist will not abandon his identity, his narrative, or his mission and will remain committed to conveying the truth to the world,” he told participants.
Threats, killings, and attacks on journalists’ families and workplaces constitute a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” Astal said.
He called on international institutions and the International Federation of Journalists to assume their legal and moral responsibilities to provide protection for reporters in Gaza.
He urged an end to “the genocide on civilians and journalists and accountability for those responsible,” warning that “impunity encourages further violations against media workers.”
Ahed Farawna, secretary of the syndicate, told Anadolu that targeting journalists in Gaza represents “one of the gravest crimes against journalism in modern history.”
He said more than 260 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the war, alongside hundreds injured or detained and extensive destruction of media institutions.
Such targeting reflects a “systematic approach to silencing the Palestinian media voice,” Farawna added.
He stressed that the international community bears a moral and legal responsibility to act urgently to protect journalists and hold perpetrators accountable.
Calls for international action
Mohammad Abu Nammous, a correspondent for Al-Ghad TV, told Anadolu that more than 262 journalists have been killed by Israel since October 2023.
A number of journalists remain detained or in unclear conditions, while more than 420 have been injured during field coverage, he added.
“The (Israeli) occupation has destroyed most media offices, causing major paralysis in the media infrastructure inside the enclave,” he said.
“These figures reflect a policy targeting press freedom and restricting access to information,” he added, calling for translating international support for press freedom into concrete measures on the ground.
Nahed Abu Harbeed, a correspondent for Alkofiya TV, said journalists in Gaza continue to work “despite significant risks.”
“They operate under direct threat of bombardment and targeting,” she told Anadolu.
Many journalists have lost colleagues during the war, yet continue their work out of a commitment to conveying the truth and documenting violations, she added.
In addition to daily bombardment, Israel continues to block the entry of agreed-upon quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies, and shelter materials into Gaza, where about 2.4 million Palestinians—including 1.5 million displaced—face dire conditions.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul
