RAMALLAH, January 4, 2026 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate reported on Sunday that a total of 99 violations were committed by Israeli occupation forces against journalists during December 2025.
In its monthly report on media freedoms, the Syndicate emphasized that Israeli forces continue to pursue a systematic policy of targeting Palestinian journalists. A wide range of violations impacted journalists, media institutions, and their families, all as part of a coordinated effort to silence Palestinian media and prevent the documentation of Israeli crimes on the ground.
The report indicated that one journalist was killed while performing fieldwork during the month. Additionally, two journalists were seriously injured due to direct targeting and shelling by Israeli forces. The report also revealed that two relatives of journalists were killed, marking a dangerous extension of the targeting policy to include the families of journalists, a clear violation of international law through collective punishment.
The Syndicate stressed that these incidents represent a stark violation of international humanitarian law, particularly Article 79 of the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which guarantees the protection of journalists during armed conflicts. The report further noted that these actions amount to extrajudicial killings, which are illegal under international law.
A significant portion of the violations in December involved preventing journalists from doing their work. This included 48 cases of detention and blocking of journalistic coverage, 15 instances of attacks using tear gas and sound bombs during coverage, and two deliberate attempts to run over journalists.
In addition, there were nine cases of threats with weapons and six instances of verbal threats. These figures reflect a deliberate strategy by Israeli occupation forces to prevent the transmission of truth, especially in areas like Gaza, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jenin, and Ramallah, where coverage sites were turned into zones of deliberate danger, forcing journalists to withdraw.
The report also documented physical and material attacks on journalists. Two journalists were physically assaulted, while journalistic equipment was destroyed during fieldwork. Additionally, two homes of journalists were destroyed due to Israeli airstrikes. The Syndicate condemned these actions as an alarming escalation, shifting from professional repression to an attempt to disrupt the personal and economic stability of journalists and their families.
Furthermore, the Syndicate documented two cases of detention, two instances of summons and security interrogation, and two cases of administrative detention. These actions are viewed as part of a broader strategy to use Israel’s security and judicial systems as tools of repression, placing a legal façade over the targeting of journalists and criminalizing their work.
The report also cited cases of incitement against journalists, with two instances of systematic media campaigns led by Israeli outlets and information centers. These falsely linked journalists to armed groups, a tactic that the Syndicate warned was a precursor to physical attacks on journalists.
The Syndicate reported one case of an assault by Israeli settlers on a journalist, carried out under the protection of Israeli forces, in a reflection of the ongoing collaboration between Israeli military forces and settlers in targeting journalists, within a context of impunity where no accountability is expected.
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