Palestinian journalists are working in the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, Palestine, on 15 October 2023. (Photo by Momen Faiz/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Journalists must be protected, even in war zones
Warring parties are under an absolute obligation to do everything in their power to protect journalists. We owe it to those who put their lives on the line to shed light on the brutal reality of war.
On 2 November we will mark the annual International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The commemoration will take place in the shadow of Israel’s devastating war on Gaza and its massive number of civilian casualties.
To put this into perspective, 2022 saw a total of 68 journalists killed globally. Seen in the light of that already dreadful figure, the number of fatalities among journalists in that single conflict is truly shocking.
In addition to this, last weekend Israel deliberately targeted telecommunications infrastructure in #Gaza, leading to an almost total internet and mobile network blackout. Such blackouts are another nail in the coffin of accountability for the killing of journalists and other civilians.
When journalists are killed, it is imperative that their cases be investigated, and the perpetrators held accountable. Nonetheless, some nine out of 10 cases of murdered journalists are never prosecuted. It’s a staggering statistic that sends a dark message: “If you are out to kill journalists, go ahead; the risk that you will be held accountable is minimal.”
I can’t stress this enough: warring parties are under an absolute obligation to do everything in their power to protect journalists. And each failure to investigate and prosecute encourages the next killing. We need to break the vicious cycle of impunity. We owe it to those who put their lives on the line to shed light on the brutal reality of war.
