Five more journalists killed in Gaza: UN reports 247 victims since October 2023

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has issued a new and harsh warning after the killing of five more Palestinian journalists in Gaza by Israeli forces. The victims, identified as Ahed Abu Aziz, Hussam al-Masri, Mariam Dagga, Mohammed Salama and Moaz Abu Taha, worked for international media outlets including Middle East Eye, Associated Press, Al Jazeera and Reuters. The incident occurred following an Israeli raid on 25 August on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, which killed at least 20 people, including medical workers.

According to the UN, the toll since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, is dramatic: at least 247 Palestinian journalists have been killed. “These journalists are the eyes and the ears of the whole world and they must be protected. This raises many, many questions about the targeting of journalists and all of these incidents must absolutely be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable”, said OHCHR Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan.

Al-Kheetan also pointed out that targeting journalists and medical facilities is prohibited under international humanitarian law and that the attacks on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis must result in a concrete demand for justice.

UNESCO, which has always been at the forefront in defending press freedom and reporter safety, has also condemned the killings, reiterating the call to respect UN Security Council Resolution 2222, unanimously adopted in 2015, which establishes the protection of journalists and media workers as civilians in armed conflicts.