SAFA — Palestinian journalists staged a solidarity protest in the Gaza Strip on Monday, November 2, demanding urgent medical evacuations for sick and wounded media workers and international action to hold Israel accountable for attacks on journalists that Palestinian media organizations say have killed 260 journalists and media workers since October 2023.

Organized by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the protest called for journalists requiring specialized treatment to be allowed to leave Gaza, where the devastated healthcare system remains unable to provide many essential medical services.

The demonstration highlighted the critical condition of Palestinian journalist Ammar Qudeih, who remains in intensive care at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis after suffering cardiac arrest several days earlier, according to Palestinian media reports.

Participants urged immediate intervention to facilitate the evacuation of journalists whose medical needs cannot be met inside the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Media Organizations Demand an End to Israeli Impunity

The protest coincided with renewed calls by Palestinian media organizations for international investigations and accountability over Israeli attacks on journalists during the war on Gaza.

In separate statements, the Palestinian Media Forum and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said 260 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 8, 2023, while hundreds of others have been wounded or arrested.

The Palestinian Media Forum described ending impunity as "a basic entry point" for achieving justice, protecting press freedom, and safeguarding the truth.

It said journalists and media institutions in Gaza have faced widespread attacks, including killings, injuries, arrests, the destruction of newsrooms and offices, and strikes on journalists' family homes.

The organization also condemned restrictions on independent international media access to Gaza, warning that they undermine efforts to document events and inform the international public.

The Forum cautioned that continued attacks without "independent, transparent investigations and real accountability" would further entrench impunity and threaten press freedom and the public's right to know.

It stressed that journalists are protected under international humanitarian law and that accusations against media workers do not, by themselves, justify targeting them.

Syndicate Warns of 'Media Genocide'

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said Palestinian media workers in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem have faced killings, injuries, arrests, assaults, and other abuses by Israeli forces and settlers.

It warned that the absence of international accountability has "entrenched impunity" and encouraged further violations.

The Syndicate characterized the scale and pattern of attacks as "media genocide," citing the killing and detention of journalists, destruction of media institutions, and disruption of communications and internet services.

Both organizations welcomed a report attributed to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, titled Truth Under the Rubble: Media in Times of Genocide, which they said examined Israeli attacks on journalists and the media environment in Gaza.

They warned that silencing journalists and restricting independent reporting threaten efforts to document violations and establish accountability.

Calls for International Investigations and Legal Action

The Palestinian Media Forum called for independent international investigations into Israeli attacks against Palestinian journalists and the prosecution of those responsible.

It also demanded the release of arbitrarily detained journalists, disclosure of the fate of those subjected to enforced disappearance, and guarantees for the rights and protection of detainees.

The Forum urged Israel to allow foreign journalists and international media organizations unrestricted access to Gaza and remove measures obstructing independent coverage.

Separately, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to disclose what judicial steps it has taken regarding complaints submitted over crimes against Palestinian journalists.

It urged the UN Human Rights Council's Independent International Commission of Inquiry to refer its findings to the ICC and called on UNESCO to establish a committee to monitor attacks on journalists and efforts to hold those responsible accountable.

The Syndicate also encouraged international press unions and journalists' associations to pursue legal action in national courts under universal jurisdiction where applicable.

Both organizations stressed that international statements of concern must be translated into concrete legal and practical measures to secure justice for victims, ensure accountability, and strengthen protections for journalists.

As Palestinian journalists continue working amid the destruction of Gaza's healthcare infrastructure and the dangers of ongoing attacks, their demands focus on two urgent priorities: lifesaving medical treatment for wounded colleagues and accountability for those killed or harmed while carrying out their work.