RAMALLAH, April 7, 2026 (WAFA) – The Journalists’ Union reported that Israeli forces carried out 53 attacks on Palestinian journalists during March.
The Union’s Freedoms Committee stated in its monthly report that two journalists were killed during the month: Amal Shamali, a correspondent for Qatar Radio in Gaza, who was targeted in a direct strike on her tent, and Marwan Harzallah, a media employee at the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, who was killed as a result of torture and medical negligence in Israeli prisons, in a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
The Union warned of a dangerous and systematic escalation in Israeli attacks on Palestinian journalists during March, emphasizing that these violations are part of an organized policy aimed at silencing Palestinian voices and undermining press freedom.
The reported violations included 12 cases of detention or prevention from coverage, eight cases of direct targeting with tear gas or sound bombs, eight assaults, seven cases of confiscation or destruction of journalistic equipment, six detentions, four home raids, two verbal threats, two investigations, one case of imposed bail, and one case of armed threat.
The Union’s Freedoms Committee emphasized that targeting journalists—including killings, detentions, and physical assaults—represents a rising pattern of severe violations amounting to serious crimes. The Union stated that this reflects the Israeli authorities’ intent to prevent independent media coverage, particularly amid escalating crimes and violations against Palestinian civilians.
The Union’s Freedoms Committee noted that these crimes constitute blatant breaches of the Geneva Conventions and direct assaults on international humanitarian law and global charters that protect journalists as civilians in their work.
The Union called on the international community, the International Federation of Journalists, and all human rights and media organizations to take immediate practical measures to protect Palestinian journalists, launch independent international investigations, and hold the perpetrators accountable, putting an end to the policy of impunity.
It also urged international media outlets to fulfill their professional and ethical responsibilities by highlighting crimes against journalists in Palestine and avoiding partial or selective coverage.
The Union’s Freedoms Committee affirmed that attempts to silence the truth by targeting journalists will fail, and that Palestinian journalism will continue its mission to convey the truth and defend the rights of the Palestinian people, regardless of the challenges.
T.R.
