The UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territories has expressed concern over the high number of journalists who have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its genocidal war on the besieged territory on October 7.
OHCHR has verified the killing of 50 journalists and media workers and has received information that 30 more may have died, amounting to approximately 6 percent of all those registered with the Journalists’ Syndicate in Gaza.
“Journalists and media workers, utilizing a variety of tools, including social media, have kept the world informed in real-time of the horrors that civilians in Gaza are enduring. Their dedication deserves tribute. But one by one, these eyes on the ground are going dark,” the UN office said in a statement.
According to the UN, Gaza has seemingly become the deadliest place for journalists and their families in the world as the conflict enters its third month. It said most of the deaths were caused by Israeli airstrikes, which have also damaged or destroyed several media buildings and equipment.
The UN added journalists and media workers perform a particularly pivotal function in the war zones by informing the public about the situation on the ground, and they must be able to work without fear of being killed, injured, or harassed.
