IFJ calls for solidarity with Gaza journalists three years after genocidal war

The world's largest organization of journalists says Zionist regime is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of media professionals in the Gaza Strip since the regime’s military launched a genocidal war on the coastal territory in October 2023, marking the most catastrophic period in the history of journalism.

On Wednesday, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urged journalists' unions and professional associations across the globe to encourage their respective governments to allow members of the press from Gaza to receive medical treatment abroad.

It noted that three years after the start of Zionist regime’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, more than 74,000 Palestinians have lost their lives. Additionally, the civilian population is confronting a grave humanitarian crisis, with more than 2.1 million people displaced.

The IFJ called upon Zionist authorities to enable humanitarian evacuations and provide foreign media representatives with unrestricted access to Gaza.

The federation also drew attention to instances of journalists requiring medical intervention, noting that photojournalist Mohammed Fayeq Abu Mustafa has been paralyzed from the waist down for over a year following an assault targeting journalists near Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. He has undergone seven surgeries and requires immediate evacuation to obtain necessary medical treatment.

It noted that the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) has documented numerous instances to underscore the necessity for specialized healthcare services and evacuation for treatment abroad.

 “International solidarity is vital at this time. As journalists, we must stand together and support one another,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said.

He appealed to journalists' unions and associations to exert influence on their respective governments to facilitate medical treatment abroad for injured and ill Gazan journalists.

“We urgently call on our affiliates to press their governments to receive Gazan journalists and media workers in order to provide those in need with immediate medical treatment,” Bellanger said.

Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, said Israeli forces have killed 263 media workers since October 2023, with 23 still detained and three missing.

The destruction of over eighty percent of media facilities has compelled journalists to conduct their reporting activities from temporary displacement shelters and hospital grounds, frequently operating without access to electrical power, internet connectivity, or protective equipment.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has characterized such circumstances as “journalism without walls,” signifying the comprehensive destruction of physical facilities while journalists continue their professional endeavors amid widespread destruction.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Zionist regime’s attacks have martyred more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounded over 175,000 others since October 2023.