The Palestinian Journalists’ Protection Centre (PJPC) has strongly denounced the continued restrictions imposed on media crews in the Gaza Strip. The organisation has called on Israeli authorities to grant journalists and independent human rights experts full and unrestricted access to the region, ensuring free and professional coverage of the on-ground realities.

In a statement, the Centre stressed that denying journalists the ability to carry out their work constitutes a flagrant violation of press freedom and human rights.

Expressing hope that the recent ceasefire declaration in Gaza signals the start of a new chapter, the Centre highlighted the need to uphold press freedom and protect journalists who have borne immense hardships during this long war. Many have paid the ultimate price while fulfilling their duty to convey the truth to the world.

The PJPC also noted that the war’s devastation extended beyond Gaza’s infrastructure to include media institutions. Newsrooms and press offices suffered severe damage, leaving the Palestinian media sector significantly weakened.

Rebuilding Gaza’s media sector, the Centre emphasised, requires robust international support to compensate journalists and their institutions for their losses. Additionally, it calls for sustained efforts to safeguard their rights and reinforce the vital role of the media in documenting and sharing the Palestinian experience with the global community.

The PJPC reaffirmed its commitment to working alongside local and international partners to amplify Palestinian journalists’ voices worldwide. The Centre reiterated its demand for an independent investigation as the only path to justice, accountability, and redress for the victims of these violations.

Since the beginning of the war on Gaza on 7 October, journalists have faced relentless persecution by Israeli forces. These actions represent a blatant breach of international law and form part of an ongoing attempt to silence the voices exposing the realities of life in Gaza.

For months, human rights organisations, international bodies, and journalistic associations have urged the adoption of stringent measures to halt the assaults and deliberate targeting of journalists. They have called for criminalising such actions and holding perpetrators accountable, but these demands remain unfulfilled.