About 60 people have been killed since the war began on October 7, a figure that has already killed nearly as many journalists as were killed in the entire Vietnam War half a century ago. Other brutal wars in the Middle East did not come close to the intensity of the current one.
“In a war, you know, a classic war, I can say that we have not seen such a massacre in Syria, in Iraq, in the former Yugoslavia,” Anthony Bellanger, secretary general of the International Federation of Journalists, told The Associated Press. .
And since the week-long ceasefire in Gaza ended on Friday, the misery has continued, he said: “Unfortunately this weekend we received bad news and at least three or four were killed.”
Bellanger said they were mourning the deaths of about 60 journalists, including at least 51 Palestinians, as well as Israelis and Lebanese. Most died in Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip. He added that Israeli journalists also lost their lives in the Hamas attack in southern Israel that sparked the war.
He added that these figures are based on all available sources that the association uses for its annual report.
In addition to the human cost, the facilities of many media organizations in Gaza have also been destroyed, he said. He estimated that there were around 1,000 journalists and media workers in Gaza before the conflict and said no one could leave now.
Yet local journalists continue to do their work amid the rubble, said Nasser Abu Baker, president of the Palestinian Union of Journalists.
“They have lost their families and continue their work,” he said. “They are homeless and continue their work. …Without food, without security for them, without their families. Even if their families are still alive, they are not with their families because they are living or sleeping in hospitals.”
Bellanger said Israeli authorities did not respond.
“I called the Israeli government but they didn’t answer. And when I traveled to Palestine a few days ago, I suggested to the government press office that we hold a meeting just to respond to this call. But no one responds,” he said.
Israel has said it is making every effort to avoid killing civilians and has accused Hamas of putting them in danger through operations in residential areas.
SPRING: Associated Press