Journalist Syndicate: 53 Crimes Against Palestinian Journalists During March, Including Two Martyrs

SadaNews - The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has warned of the serious and systematic escalation in targeting Palestinian journalists by the Israeli occupation forces during March 2026, stressing that these violations are part of an organized policy to silence the Palestinian voice and undermine press freedom.

The Syndicate’s Freedoms Committee, in its monthly report, clarified that March witnessed the assassination of two journalists: Amal Shumali, a reporter for Qatar Radio in the Gaza Strip, who was targeted during a direct bombardment of her tent, and Mervan Harzallah, a media employee at the Broadcasting and Television Authority, who became a martyr due to torture and medical neglect inside the occupation’s prisons, in a grave violation of international humanitarian law.

The committee documented a total of (53) crimes and violations against journalists, which included two instances of martyrdom, 12 cases of detention and obstruction of coverage, 8 cases of direct targeting with tear gas and sound bombs, 8 cases of physical assault, 7 cases of confiscation and destruction of journalistic equipment, 6 cases of arrest, 4 cases of incursions into journalists' homes, two instances of verbal threats, two investigations, one imposition of financial bail, and one armed threat.

The Freedoms Committee affirmed that the targeting of journalists, including killing, arrest, and physical assault, falls within a rising pattern of serious violations that amount to grave crimes, reflecting the occupation authorities' determination to prevent independent media coverage, especially amidst the escalation of crimes and violations against Palestinian civilians.

The committee emphasized that these crimes represent a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and a direct assault on the principles of international humanitarian law, as well as international charters that guarantee the protection of journalists as civilians while performing their duties.

The committee called on the international community, the United Nations, the International Federation of Journalists, and all human rights and media organizations to take immediate practical steps to ensure the protection of Palestinian journalists, open independent international investigations, and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable, in order to put an end to the policy of impunity.

It also urged international media to assume their professional and ethical responsibilities, highlight the crimes committed against journalists in Palestine, and not limit themselves to selective or fragmented coverage.

The Freedoms Committee concluded its statement by affirming that attempts to silence the truth through targeting journalists will fail, and that Palestinian journalism will continue to fulfill its mission, no matter the challenges, in conveying the truth and defending the rights of the Palestinian people.