Israeli occupation forces and settlers committed 57 assaults against Palestinian journalists in November, reflecting a clear, systematic escalation.
Israeli occupation forces and illegal Israeli Jewish settlers committed 57 violations and assaults against journalists in the occupied West Bank and Gaza in November, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) reported.
The syndicate stated these violations reflect “continued systematic escalation aimed at preventing media crews from carrying out their professional duties.”
The monthly report from the organization’s Committee on Press Freedoms, released on Saturday, stated the violations comprised “dangerous patterns directly targeting journalistic work and endangering journalists’ lives.”
Two journalists, one in Tulkarem and one in Gaza, were injured by live ammunition and plastic bullets while reporting in the field, according to the report.
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Illegal Israeli Jewish settlers played a central role, carrying out 22 assaults against journalists. These assaults included preventing coverage, chasing journalists, beating them with sticks, throwing stones, and brandishing weapons.
The report also documented 16 cases of detention and obstruction of journalistic work. There were six cases of direct physical assault. Four cases involved equipment confiscation and forced deletion of materials.
Two cases of weapons being pointed directly at journalists were recorded. Two cases of vehicle destruction and confiscation were also documented, along with one journalist’s arrest, a home raid, and a journalist being brought before the court.
Mohammed al-Lahham, head of the Press Freedoms Committee at the PJS, said the figures “reflect a clear policy aimed at silencing Palestinian journalists.”
He called for increased international pressure on Israel to stop daily attacks. He also requested that the international community provide international protection for Palestinian journalists.
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Since October 2023, Israel has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 171,000 others in Gaza.
Additionally, at least 1,088 Palestinians have also been killed and 10,700 others injured in attacks by the occupation army and illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied territory since October 2023. Over 20,500 people have also been arrested.
The violence reported by the PJS is set against what is widely documented as the deadliest conflict for media workers in decades, with over 250 journalists killed by Israel in Gaza since the October 2023 genocide.
International press freedom groups and the UN have strongly condemned this unprecedented casualty rate, viewing it as a calculated Israeli strategy to ensure an information blackout and prevent accountability for human rights violations amid the operations.
(PC, AA)
