Since the beginning of December, 13 journalists have been martyred, in addition to others who have been subjected to various forms of violations.
This statement was originally published on madacenter.org on 26 December 2024.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the targeting and killing of five journalists from the “Al-Quds Today” TV channel by occupation forces while they were performing their professional duty of covering events in the field in the Gaza Strip.
The five journalists were martyred at approximately 1:30AM on Thursday morning as a result of an airstrike by occupation forces on the TV’s live broadcasting vehicle near “Al-Awda” Hospital in the “Nuseirat” Refugee Camp in central Gaza. The victims were: journalist FAISAL ABU AL-QUMSAN, cameraman AYMAN AL-JADI, journalist IBRAHIM SHEIKH ALI (working in the monitoring department), editor MOHAMMED AL-LADA’A, and editor/journalist FADI HASSOUNA.
MADA strongly condemns the systematic targeting of journalists and the attempt to silence the Palestinian voice in the Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of December, 13 journalists have been martyred, in addition to others who have been subjected to various forms of violations. This represents a blatant violation of international and humanitarian laws, which guarantee the protection of media workers and recognize them as integral members of civil society.
MADA calls on international institutions, particularly the United Nations and human rights organizations, to urgently launch a transparent investigation into the circumstances of these journalists’ martyrdom and those before them, and to hold the perpetrators accountable for these crimes.
The center also calls on the international community to provide urgent international protection for journalists working in Palestinian territories and to ensure their right to practice their profession without threats or targeting.
Furthermore, MADA urges all global media organizations to stand in solidarity with Palestinian journalists and highlight the daily targeting they endure while performing their professional duties.
MADA reaffirms that this crime, along with other crimes against media freedoms, will not deter journalists from adhering to their noble mission. Such actions will not succeed in obscuring the truth or hiding the suffering of the Palestinian people. We renew our commitment to supporting Palestinian journalists and helping them amplify their people’s voices to the world.
