The year of the war on Gaza can be described as the bloodiest in history concerning the targeting of journalists and media professionals. While all Palestinian elites in the Gaza Strip are vulnerable to Israeli aggression, those working in journalism and media are at the forefront, given what they publish about the crimes of the occupation being committed continuously for 15 months against civilians, targeting everything within the besieged enclave.

To mark the anniversary of “Palestinian Journalist Day,” calls were renewed for human rights and humanitarian organizations to continue pressuring Israel and take all measures to hold it accountable for its crimes against Palestinian journalists, hundreds of whom have been killed, injured, or detained during its aggression on the Gaza Strip.

During the genocide that the occupation army has been waging against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, more than two hundred journalists have been martyred, surpassing the number of journalists killed during World War II, which lasted nearly six years. The toll of martyrs among journalists and media workers since the war began has risen to 201, with the number of injured reaching 399, and the number of detained journalists whose names are known is 43, according to the Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza as of December 29.

The organization “Reporters Without Borders” recently classified Gaza as the deadliest area for journalists this year, with occupation forces killing more than 30% of the total journalists there.

The attacks on journalists in Gaza have repeated throughout the year, continuing from the previous year regarding the bombing of media facilities, destruction of media offices, live broadcast vehicles, and bombing journalists during their field coverage of the Israeli war and operations in various areas of the enclave.

Many targeted journalists have faced incitement campaigns from the media apparatus of the Israeli occupation army, under military and security pretexts, attempting to accuse them of belonging to Palestinian resistance factions or their military wings, despite all of them covering the war openly since its early days.

For its part, the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said that the Israeli occupation proves daily that it is the primary enemy of Palestinian journalism by directly targeting Palestinian journalists, seeking to suppress the voice of truth and hide its crimes against the Palestinian people.

Hamas added in a press statement on the occasion of Palestinian Journalist Day, observed on December 31 each year, that this day represents an opportunity to honor Palestinian journalists who risk their lives to convey the Palestinian narrative and expose the crimes of the occupation, noting that 201 Palestinian journalists have become martyrs while documenting the crimes of the occupation with their blood.

The Movement affirmed that Palestinian journalists have played a central role in exposing the false narratives of the occupation and in conveying the image of the steadfastness and heroism of the people and their resistance against ongoing Israeli aggression, especially in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to genocide and a suffocating siege for many years.

Hamas called on human rights and humanitarian organizations to continue their efforts to prosecute the occupation for its crimes against Palestinian journalists, to work on protecting them, and to enable them to fulfill their noble mission, emphasizing the necessity of adopting a media code of ethics that ensures a safe environment for journalists and preserves their rights.

The Movement saluted Palestinian journalists who continue to perform their heroic role in conveying the reality of Palestine to the world, affirming that Israeli crimes will not succeed in obscuring their role or silencing their free voices.

In this context, the GMO renewed its commitment to the honorable journey of Palestinian journalists and to defending their rights, in appreciation of their efforts marked by martyrdom, injury, detention, and steadfastness.

The GMO explained in a press statement that this occasion comes this year for journalists and media professionals under extremely harsh and difficult conditions, amidst the ongoing genocide being waged by the occupation army against our Palestinian people for 452 days of killing, annihilation, destruction, and forced displacement.

It added that this occasion is marked in appreciation of Palestinian journalists and media professionals, those heroes who have not left their posts for a moment and have not abandoned their responsibilities, despite the killing, destruction, and displacement they have faced. They remained steadfast in their continuous media coverage of events around the clock.

The GMO emphasized that this occasion “reminds us of the value of the professional and national message of the knights of the Fourth Estate, the masters of word, image, camera, and pen, making it the strongest tools of resistance against the occupation, paying a heavy price, with martyrs, missing persons, prisoners, and wounded among them, yet they did not change their commitment,” recalling the value of loyalty, appreciation, and thanks to the journalists and media professionals and to the founders of this national day, Palestinian Journalist Day. It renewed its loyalty to Palestinian journalists and media professionals everywhere.

The GMO sent a message of reverence, pride, and appreciation to all journalists, the knights of word and truth, who succeeded in exporting the authentic Palestinian narrative and breaking the false narrative of the occupation, so that the whole world recognizes that the occupation is misguided and will come to an end, and that the leaders of the occupation have blood-stained hands. It affirmed that these distinguished journalists revealed the racism and crimes of the occupation to the entire world, defending Palestine, with martyrs, missing persons, injured, and prisoners among them.

It extended a salute of pride and appreciation to all Palestinian journalists who faithfully carry the message of truth and exercise their professional and national roles with courage and determination despite all the challenges and dangers.

The Office conveyed a message to journalists, saying: “By your steadfastness, you represent the free voice of Palestine and the mirror of the just cause, and you contribute to exposing the oppressive practices and ongoing violations against our Palestinian people. Your continuous contributions and noble sacrifices will remain a badge of honor on your chests and an inspiration for future generations.”