A United Nations expert on Monday accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists to conceal acts of “genocide” and highlighted that the ongoing conflict in the region has resulted in the highest number of media worker casualties in history.
Irene Khan, the special rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, raised concerns during a press briefing in Geneva, stating that the killing and silencing of journalists were part of a strategy to hide atrocities. According to UN data, at least 252 Palestinian journalists have lost their lives in Gaza since the conflict began following an attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Describing the situation as the deadliest conflict for journalists, Khan emphasized the likelihood of the death toll rising as more killings are reported regularly. She pointed out that the number of journalists killed in Gaza surpasses the combined fatalities of journalists in major wars like World Wars, Vietnam War, wars in Yugoslavia, and the conflict in Afghanistan.
Comparatively, Khan noted that the casualties among journalists in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022 stood at 14, while the number in Afghanistan over two decades of conflict was in the “dozens”. The expert highlighted that many journalists in Gaza were deliberately targeted for exposing atrocities and crimes on the ground.
Khan criticized Israel for running smear campaigns against journalists killed in its airstrikes, attempting to portray them as terrorist sympathizers to undermine their credibility and work. She condemned the restriction of access to Gaza for international journalists by Israel, labeling it as an unprecedented move that threatens media freedom.
Expressing concern over the trend, Khan called for international intervention to prevent further suppression of journalists in Gaza, emphasizing the need for action to safeguard media freedom in conflict zones.