Surveillance in Gaza is under attack
In the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip, journalists are bravely reporting on the harsh realities faced by its inhabitants, despite facing immense danger, systematic targeting, and restricted freedom of the press.
Safety: The safety of journalists in Gaza is under constant threat. Deliberate attacks on media workers have become alarmingly common, with no part of the city considered safe. The deadliest single attack occurred on August 10, 2025, when six journalists, five from Al Jazeera, lost their lives in a targeted Israeli strike in Gaza City. Over the past two years, more than 190 journalists and media workers have been killed in the conflict, a number that surpasses global journalist fatalities for the preceding three years combined. These killings are widely regarded as deliberate murders of journalists for doing their work.
Living Conditions: The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with shortages of fuel, medical supplies, and food leading to a collapse of emergency services. These conditions make it difficult for journalists to operate safely and survive. Israel's restrictions, including denial of access for foreign journalists except through highly controlled routes, further isolate the media environment.
Freedom of the Press: The destruction of media offices and infrastructure in Gaza is systematic. Journalists report that media offices, whether local or foreign, have been destroyed deliberately since the start of the current conflict, indicating a blatant disregard for press freedom. Foreign media organizations are increasingly reluctant to enter Gaza due to the extreme dangers and absence of any form of protection.
Press freedom groups call for international pressure beyond verbal condemnations, including sanctions, to ensure the protection of journalists and the reinstatement of their press rights.
A collective of 52 journalists, retirees, active, and teachers from Quebec have launched an appeal for solidarity with journalists in the Gaza Strip, urging the Canadian government to pressure Israeli authorities to open the Gaza Strip to international media, including those from Quebec. The deadly conflict in the Gaza Strip has already killed more journalists and media workers than all the wars combined since the beginning of the 20th century.
The conditions under which journalists in the Gaza Strip are working are considered appalling. The blockade imposed by Israel is causing hunger among 2 million Palestinians, including journalists, to the extent that some are too weak to work. The Canadian government is being asked to demand the evacuation of Palestinian journalists whose health condition is so precarious it puts their survival at risk.
The issues of information freedom and journalist protection in conflict zones are being highlighted as important and uniting factors, beyond political partisanship. Public support for journalists in Gaza is seen as a defense of press freedom and the free circulation of information. The Canadian government is being asked to pressure Israeli authorities to allow international press organizations to support Palestinian journalists in Gaza and improve their situation.
References: 1. Reporters Without Borders. (2025). Israel/Palestine: Journalists under fire in Gaza. https://rsf.org/en/news/israelpalestine-journalists-under-fire-gaza 2. Forbidden Stories. (2025). More than 200 Palestinian journalists and media workers killed by Israeli bombs or bullets over the past 22 months. https://forbidenstories.org/en/investigation/more-than-200-palestinian-journalists-and-media-workers-killed-by-israeli-bombs-or-bullets-over-the-past-22-months/ 3. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (2025). Gaza Strip: Humanitarian Snapshot (August 2025). https://www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-strip-humanitarian-snapshot-august-2025 4. Watson Institute of Brown University. (2025). Gaza Conflict: A Humanitarian Crisis. https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/projects/gaza-conflict-humanitarian-crisis
- The dangerous conditions and systemic targeting of journalists in Gaza have led to a significant decrease in the number of media organizations willing to operate in the area, impacting the general news coverage and political discourses surrounding war-and-conflicts in the region.
- Amidst the ongoing political crisis in the Gaza Strip, the international community, press freedom groups, and concerned individuals are calling for urgent action to protect journalists and uphold their rights to political news coverage, in the face of a regime that aggressively restricts press freedom and poses direct threats to journalistic safety.
