The Hamas movement called on human rights and humanitarian institutions to prosecute the Israeli occupation for its crimes against Palestinian journalists, urging the adoption of a media code of honor that ensures a safe environment and preserves their rights.
In a press statement on the occasion of the Palestinian Journalist Loyalty Day, celebrated on December 31, Hamas said that this day represents an opportunity to honor Palestinian journalists who risk their lives to expose the crimes and aggressive practices of the Israeli occupation.
The movement stated that “201 Palestinian journalists were martyred while documenting the crimes of the occupation with their blood.”
“The Israeli occupation proves daily that it is the most prominent enemy of the Palestinian press by directly targeting Palestinian journalists in an effort to silence the voice of truth and conceal its crimes against the Palestinian people,” the statement said.
The movement affirmed that Palestinian journalists played a pivotal role in exposing the false narratives of the occupation and conveying the people’s steadfastness and resistance against Israeli aggression, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to genocide and a stifling siege for many years.
Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, over 200 journalists have been martyred, surpassing the number killed during World War II, with 399 wounded and 43 known detainees, according to the government media office in Gaza.
“Reporters Without Borders” has recently classified Gaza as the bloodiest region for journalists this year, as the occupation forces killed more than 30% of the total number of journalists there.