Global Media Protest Against Journalist Deaths in Gaza
Times of Bennett | Updated: Sep 05, 2025 22:04
By Radhika Gupta
More than 220 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in theGaza strip in less than 23 months, according to the latest data shared by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international non-governmental organization that promotes and defends freedom of information and speech worldwide.
“At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no-one left to keep you informed,” RSF’s general director, Thibaut Bruttin had said in a statement in September, last year.
Israeli officials in turn have said that many of these journalists were “actively engaged in terror activities and using journalism as a cover”. However, no substantial evidence to support this claim has been presented by the country yet.
On the night of 10th August alone this year, six journalists were killed in a targeted strike against Al- Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif.Israel ’s military stated that Sharif was targeted as he had “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas”, a claim that Sharif had denied in the past. Little evidence to support the accusation was provided by Israel, reported BBC.
Palestinian Journalist Anas Al-Sharif Killed in a Targeted Israeli Strike
Image Credits: Reuters
Recently, five more journalists were killed on 25th August in two consecutive strikes by the Israeli army on the Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Some of these were working forAl Jazeera , Associated Press (AP) and Reuters.
A week after this attack, 250 media organizations in over 70 countries brought together by RSF and supported by global campaign movement Avaaz, staged a front-page protest on Monday, 1st September. News outlets like Al Jazeera, the British newspaper The Independent and French newspapers La Croix and L’Humanité were amongst those participating.The Quint and The Wire also joined the movement from India.
This protest included entire or partial blackout on the front pages of the print media, banners on online news sites and audio or video messages broadcast by radio and television stations. The demands raised included protection of all the journalists currently reporting from Gaza, an emergency evacuation of reporters seeking to leave the Strip and for governments across the world to host them.
RSF has also demanded end to impunity for Israeli crimes against Gaza’s reporters, and for foreign press be granted independent access to the Strip, which had been banned by Israel since the start of the war two years ago.
“When such a catastrophe takes place, unity is the need of the hour. Media outlets may compete with each other on a regular basis, but when it comes to issues like these, it is imperative for us to stand together as one fraternity. And that’s exactly what this global protest was all about. We’re always stronger together” said Sakshat Chandok, a senior correspondent and journalist from The Quint, who reports on politics and international affairs.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded to theReporters Without Borders initiative by stating that “the reports we see in the global media regarding Gaza do not tell the real story there. They tell the campaign of lies that Hamas spreads. This is not journalism. This is politics”.
The protest takes place against the backdrop of the Israel–Gaza war, which began on 7 October 2023,when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, leading to Israel’s declaration of war and subsequent military operations in Gaza. At least 63,746 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry’s records.
Radhika Gupta is a third year BAJMC student at TSOM who is passionate about writing articles on various socio-political issues. In her free time she enjoys reading murder mysteries, travelling and baking.
More than 220 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in the
“At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no-one left to keep you informed,” RSF’s general director, Thibaut Bruttin had said in a statement in September, last year.
Israeli officials in turn have said that many of these journalists were “actively engaged in terror activities and using journalism as a cover”. However, no substantial evidence to support this claim has been presented by the country yet.
On the night of 10th August alone this year, six journalists were killed in a targeted strike against Al- Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif.
Image Credits: Reuters
Recently, five more journalists were killed on 25th August in two consecutive strikes by the Israeli army on the Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Some of these were working for
A week after this attack, 250 media organizations in over 70 countries brought together by RSF and supported by global campaign movement Avaaz, staged a front-page protest on Monday, 1st September. News outlets like Al Jazeera, the British newspaper The Independent and French newspapers La Croix and L’Humanité were amongst those participating.
This protest included entire or partial blackout on the front pages of the print media, banners on online news sites and audio or video messages broadcast by radio and television stations. The demands raised included protection of all the journalists currently reporting from Gaza, an emergency evacuation of reporters seeking to leave the Strip and for governments across the world to host them.
RSF has also demanded end to impunity for Israeli crimes against Gaza’s reporters, and for foreign press be granted independent access to the Strip, which had been banned by Israel since the start of the war two years ago.
“When such a catastrophe takes place, unity is the need of the hour. Media outlets may compete with each other on a regular basis, but when it comes to issues like these, it is imperative for us to stand together as one fraternity. And that’s exactly what this global protest was all about. We’re always stronger together” said Sakshat Chandok, a senior correspondent and journalist from The Quint, who reports on politics and international affairs.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded to the
The protest takes place against the backdrop of the Israel–Gaza war, which began on 7 October 2023,when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, leading to Israel’s declaration of war and subsequent military operations in Gaza. At least 63,746 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry’s records.
Radhika Gupta is a third year BAJMC student at TSOM who is passionate about writing articles on various socio-political issues. In her free time she enjoys reading murder mysteries, travelling and baking.
