Reporting never been this challenging: Israel-Gaza war taking a severe toll on journalists

The raging conflict in the Middle East has made reporting unprecedently challenging. It erupted on October 7 as Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel and the Israeli military responded, launching strikes on the blockaded Gaza Strip.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has been investigating all reports of journalists and media personnel killed, injured or missing in the war, which has led to the deadliest period for journalists since the non-profit started gathering data in 1992.

Journalists in Gaza Strip face particularly high risks

CPJ’s preliminary investigations indicate that as of January 26, at least 83 journalists and media personnel were among the more than 27,000 killed since October 7, including more than 26,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and the West Bank and 1,200 deaths in Israel.

Journalists in the besieged Gaza Strip face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict during the Israeli ground assault, including devastating Israeli airstrikes, extensive power outages, disrupted communications and supply shortages.

It has been confirmed that as of January 26, 83 journalists and media personnel are dead, including 76 Palestinian, 4 Israeli and 3 Lebanese; 16 journalists are reported injured, 3 reported missing and 25 reported arrested, according to CPJ.

But the non-profit has also been investigating cases of multiple assaults, threats, cyberattacks, censorships and killings of family members, trying to assess the true scale of the hostile environment journalists and media across the region have been facing since October 7.

“Making great sacrifices to cover this heart-breaking conflict”

“CPJ emphasises that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties,” according to Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator.

“Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heart-breaking conflict. Those in Gaza, in particular, have paid, and continue to pay, an unprecedented toll and face exponential threats,” CPJ quoted Mansour as saying.