Brussels: More journalists have been killed in the latest escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict than in any other conflict since 1990, when the record-keeping started, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Friday.
“The war in Gaza has been more deadly for journalists than any single conflict since the IFJ began recording journalists killed in the line of duty in 1990,” the statement read. “This year, 72% of journalists killed worldwide have been killed in the Gaza conflict.”
A total of 68 journalists have been killed since the start of the Gaza conflict on October 7, which means more than one died every day. The total number included 61 Palestinian, four Israeli and three Lebanese journalists, the IFJ said.
For comparison, three journalists died in each of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria in 2023, the organization said.
“The IFJ demands urgent global action to halt this bloodshed. The surge in fatalities, particularly in Gaza, necessitates immediate attention. The IFJ insists that international law is applied, particularly in the Gaza war, where journalists have been targeted by the Israeli army,” IFJ President Dominique Pradalie said.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. The sides agreed to a one-week truce that ended last Friday, to exchange some of the prisoners and hostages.
