A ceasefire in Gaza has done little to ease the deep wounds inflicted on journalists in the besieged Palestinian enclave after two years of relentless Israeli attacks, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said.
Israel has killed over 250 journalists since October 2023, a staggering number of casualties among professionals protected under international laws.
While the truce brokered in Cairo as part of US President Donald Trump’s “lasting peace” initiative was confirmed on Friday, Israel continued to bomb Gaza.
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, Israel bombed Khan Younis and Gaza City.
Among the casualties was Arafat al-Khour, a photojournalist for Abu Dhabi TV, who was wounded while documenting the aftermath of a strike in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood.
“The relief of a ceasefire in Gaza must not distract from the catastrophic situation facing journalists,” said Jonathan Dagher, head of RSF’s Middle East desk.
“If impunity for these crimes continues, they will be repeated in Gaza, Palestine, and elsewhere in the world.”
Silencing the story
The media has paid a staggering price since the start of Israel’s genocide.
Journalists have been killed while reporting, in their homes, and even as they attempted to flee. Entire newsrooms have been reduced to rubble.
Telecommunications infrastructure has been destroyed, severing communication and making reporting from Gaza nearly impossible.
For many months, Palestinian journalists have been the sole witnesses to the war, documenting atrocities while enduring hunger, siege, and fear.
RSF has filed five legal complaints with the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging it to investigate the Israeli war crimes against the press.
The watchdog is now calling for arrest warrants to be issued against those responsible.
“It’s high time the international community’s response matched the courage shown by Palestinian reporters,” Dagher added.
Despite the ceasefire, the foreign press remains barred from entering Gaza.
The agreement, while allowing some humanitarian aid to enter the enclave, makes no mention of access for international media or the safe evacuation of Palestinian journalists who wish to leave.
The deliberate killings of journalists in Gaza have sparked outrage but brought no change to the situation on the ground.
‘Justice for journalists’
The families of slain journalists, many of whom were killed while reporting live or shortly after publishing critical coverage, continue to grieve in silence.
Many journalists continue working despite the trauma of losing colleagues, homes, and loved ones.
RSF warns that unless urgent international action is taken to protect the remaining journalists, Gaza’s already diminished media could disappear entirely.
For Gaza’s journalists, the question is no longer just one of survival but of justice.
“This is not peace,” said Dagher.
“Justice for Gaza’s journalists is the first condition of any lasting solution. Without it, the right to information here and around the world remains under threat.”
