File Photo: Arab News
The number of journalists and media workers killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Hamas war has reached 96, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) said on Monday (26 February).
"At least ninety-six Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed, several have been injured and others are missing during the war in Gaza," the IFJ and PJS said in a joint statement.
The two organizations condemned the killings and ongoing attacks on journalists. The IFJ demanded an immediate investigation into their deaths, according to the statement.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing some 1,200 people and abducting more than 200 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. At least 29,700 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.
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