The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating all reports of journalists and media workers killed, injured or missing in the Israel-Gaza war, which has led to the deadliest period for journalists since the CPJ began gathering data in 1992.
As of this week, the CPJ’s preliminary investigations showed at least 79 journalists and media workers were among the more than 23 000 killed since the war began on October 7, with more than 22 000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank and 1 200 in Israel.
“Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict during the Israeli ground assault, including devastating Israeli airstrikes, disrupted communications, supply shortages and extensive power outages,” the CPJ said.
According to the CPJ figures, 79 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 72 Palestinian, four Israelis and three Lebanese. At least 16 journalists were reported injured, three missing and 21 arrested.
They also noted multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorship and killings of family members.
The CPJ is also investigating numerous unconfirmed reports of other journalists being killed, missing, detained, hurt or threatened, and of damage to media offices and journalists’ homes.
“CPJ emphasises that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties,” said Sherif Mansour, the CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa programme co-ordinator.
“Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heart-breaking conflict.
Those in Gaza, in particular, have paid, and continue to pay, an unprecedented toll and face exponential threats.
Many have lost colleagues, families, and media facilities, and have fled seeking safety when there is no safe haven or exit.”
The CPJ has called for an independent investigation into an Israeli drone strike that killed Al-Jazeera journalist Hamza Al Dahdouh, who is the son of Al-Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al Dahdouh, and freelance journalist Mustafa Thuraya on Sunday as they drove their car to an assignment in southern Gaza.
“The killings of journalists Hamza Al Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya must be independently investigated, and those behind their deaths must be held accountable.
The continuous killing of journalists and their family members by Israeli army fire must end: journalists are civilians, not targets,” said Mansour.
The CPJ said the investigations by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reuters and AFP into the October 13 strike in southern Lebanon, which killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and injured six other journalists, found that the attack was probably a deliberate assault by the Israel Defence Forces on civilians, which would constitute a war crime.
Journalists and media workers reported killed, based on information obtained from the CPJ’s sources in the region and media reports:
- Hamza Al Dahdouh, a Palestinian journalist and camera operator for Al-Jazeera.
- Mustafa Thuraya, a Palestinian freelance videographer working for Agence France-Presse (AFP).
- Jabr Abu Hadrous, a Palestinian journalist and a reporter for the Hamas-affiliated Quds Al-Youm broadcaster.
- Mohamed Khaireddine, a Palestinian journalist who worked for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Ahmed Khaireddine, a Palestinian journalist and a cameraman for the Hamas-affiliated Quds Al-Youm TV.
- Mohamad Al-Iff, a Palestinian journalist and photographer for the Hamas government-owned local newspaper and news agency Al-Rai.
- Mohamed Azzaytouniyah, a Palestinian media worker and a sound engineer for the Hamas government-owned local radio Al-Rai.
- Ahmad Jamal Al Madhoun, a Palestinian journalist and deputy director of the Hamas government owned local newspaper and news agency Al-Rai.
- Mohamed Naser Abu Huwaidi, a Palestinian journalist working for the privately owned Al-Istiklal newspaper.
- Mohamed Khalifeh, a media worker and director at the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV channel.
- Adel Zorob, a Palestinian freelance journalist who worked with multiple media outlets, including the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa Voice Radio.
- Abdallah Alwan, a Palestinian media worker and voice-over specialist who contributed to multiple media outlets including the Al-Jazeera owned platform Midan, Mugtama magazine, and Al-Jazeera, and was a radio host for the Islamic University’s Holy Qur’an Radio.
- Assem Kamal Moussa, a Palestinian journalist who produced visual and written news reports for the local privately owned news website Palestine Now.
- Haneen Kashtan, a Palestinian journalist who contributed to multiple media outlets including the local Fatah-affiliated Al-Kofiya TV and the local privately owned Baladna TV,
- Samer Abu Daqqa, a camera operator for Al-Jazeera Arabic.
- Duaa Jabbour, a Palestinian freelance journalist who worked with the local website Eyes Media Network.
- Ola Atallah, a Palestinian freelance journalist who contributed to multiple media outlets.
- Hassan Farajallah, a senior position with the Hamas-affiliated Al-Quds TV.
- Shaima El-Gazzar, a Palestinian journalist for Al-Majedat network, El-Gazzar.
- Abdullah Darwish, a Palestinian cameraman for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV, Darwish.
- Montaser Al-Sawaf, a Palestinian cameraman for Anadolu news agency.
- Adham Hassouna, a Palestinian freelance journalist and media professor at Gaza and Al-Aqsa universities.
- Mostafa Bakeer, a Palestinian journalist and cameraperson for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Mohamed Mouin Ayyash, a Palestinian journalist and a freelance photographer.
- Mohamed Nabil Al-Zaq, a Palestinian journalist and a social media manager for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Quds TV.
- Farah Omar, a Lebanese reporter for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen TV channel.
- Rabih Al Maamari, a Lebanese cameraperson for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen TV channel.
- Ayat Khadoura, a Palestinian freelance journalist and podcast presenter.
- Bilal Jadallah, a director of Press House-Palestine, a non-profit that supports the development of independent Palestinian media.
- Abdelhalim Awad, a Palestinian media worker and driver for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Sari Mansour, a director of the Quds News Network.
- Hassouneh Salim, a Palestinian freelance photojournalist.
- Mostafa El Sawaf, a Palestinian writer and analyst who contributed to the local news website MSDR News.
- Amro Salah Abu Hayah, a Palestinian media worker in the broadcast department of the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV channel.
- Mossab Ashour, a Palestinian photographer.
- Ahmed Fatima, a photographer for the Egypt-based Al Qahera News TV and media worker with Press House-Palestine.
- Yaacoub Al-Barsh, an executive director of the local Namaa Radio.
- Ahmed Al-Qara, a photojournalist who worked for Al-Aqsa University and freelancer.
- Yahya Abu Manih, a journalist with Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa radio channel.
- Mohamed Abu Hassira, a journalist for the Palestinian Authority-run Wafa news agency.
- Mohamed Al Jaja, a media worker and organizational development consultant at Press House-Palestine.
- Mohamad Al-Bayyari, a Palestinian journalist with the Hamas affiliated Al-Aqsa TV channel.
- Mohammed Abu Hatab, a journalist and correspondent for the Palestinian Authority-funded broadcaster Palestine TV.
- Majd Fadl Arandas, a member of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate who worked for the news website Al-Jamaheer.
- Iyad Matar, a journalist working for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Imad Al-Wahidi, a media worker and administrator for the Palestinian Authority-run Palestine TV channel.
- Majed Kashko, a media worker and the office director of the Palestinian Authority-run Palestine TV channel.
- Nazmi Al-Nadim, a deputy director of finance and administration for Palestine TV.
- Yasser Abu Namous, a Palestinian journalist of Al-Sahel media organisation.
- Duaa Sharaf, a Palestinian journalist and host for the Hamas-affiliated Radio Al-Aqsa
- Jamal Al-Faqaawi, a Palestinian journalist for the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Mithaq Media Foundation.
- Saed Al-Halabi, a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Ahmed Abu Mhadi, a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Salma Mkhaimer, a freelance journalist.
- Mohammed Imad Labad, a journalist for the Al Resalah news website.
- Roshdi Sarraj, a journalist and co-founder of Ain Media.
- Roee Idan, an Israeli journalist.
- Mohammed Ali, a journalist from Al-Shabab Radio (Youth Radio).
- Khalil Abu Aathra, a videographer for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Sameeh Al-Nady, a journalist and director for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Mohammad Balousha, a journalist and the administrative and financial manager of the local media channel “Palestine Today” office in Gaza.
- Issam Bhar, a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.
- Abdulhadi Habib, a journalist who worked for Al-Manara News Agency and HQ News Agency.
- Yousef Maher Dawas, a contributing writer for Palestine Chronicle and a writer for We Are Not Numbers, a youth-led Palestinian non-profit project.
- Salam Mema, a freelance journalist and head of the Women Journalists Committee at the Palestinian Media Assembly.
- Husam Mubarak, a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al Aqsa Radio.
- Issam Abdallah, a Beirut-based videographer for the Reuters news agency.
- Ahmed Shehab, a journalist for Sowt Al-Asra Radio (Radio Voice of the Prisoners).
- Mohamed Fayez Abu Matar, a freelance photojournalist.
- Saeed al-Taweel, an editor-in-chief of the Al-Khamsa News website.
- Mohammed Sobh, a photographer from Khabar news agency.
- Hisham Alnwajha, a journalist with Khabar news agency.
- Assaad Shamlakh, a freelance journalist.
- Shai Regev, an editor for TMI, the gossip and entertainment news section of the Hebrew-language daily newspaper Maariv.
- Ayelet Arnin, a news editor with the Israel Broadcasting Corporation Kan.
- Yaniv Zohar, an Israeli photographer working for the Hebrew-language daily newspaper Israel Hayom.
- Mohammad Al-Salhi, a photojournalist working for the Fourth Authority news agency.
- Mohammad Jarghoun, a journalist with Smart Media
- Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi, a photographer for Ain Media.
Cape Times