Latest news with #JodieGinsberg
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
CPJ, global media leaders call for urgent, unrestricted access to Gaza for journalists
NEW YORK: More than 130 global leaders of news and press freedom organizations called on world leaders, governments, and international institutions on Thursday to act immediately to ensure journalists from outside Gaza are given immediate, independent access to the territory, in a letter coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters without Borders (RSF). After 20 months of almost complete exclusion of international media from Gaza, the letter demands the protection of Palestinian journalists currently reporting under siege in the territory. Israeli authorities have prevented international journalists from entering Gaza since the start of the war, except for brief excursions, tightly controlled by the military. Meanwhile, local Palestinian journalists have risked their lives to report under extreme conditions of violence, displacement, and hunger. At least 181 journalists and media workers have been killed – 179 of them by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon since the war started, making it the deadliest conflict for the press since CPJ started recording data in 1992. 'When journalists are killed in such unprecedented numbers and independent international media is barred from entering, the world loses its ability to see clearly, to understand fully, and to respond effectively to what is happening. Access must be restored, and the rights of journalists must be respected,' said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. 'Journalists must be allowed to report without fear for their lives.'
Days of Palestine
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israel's Genocide Killed 213 Journalists, Making Gaza Deadliest Place for Media
DayofPal– At least 213 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of Israel's genocide on Gaza in October 2023, according to Gaza's Government Media Office, making it the deadliest war for media professionals in modern history. The latest victim, journalist Nour Abdu, was killed Wednesday while reporting on an Israeli airstrike targeting the Al-Karama school in Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood. The school, which had been sheltering displaced families, was hit twice in quick succession, with the second strike reportedly occurring as civilians attempted to retrieve the dead and wounded from the first blast. In a statement condemning the killing, the Government Media Office said: 'We strongly denounce the targeting, killing, and assassination of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli occupation. We call on the International Federation of Journalists, the Federation of Arab Journalists, and all global press bodies to condemn these systematic crimes against Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip.' The ongoing war has drawn international condemnation over its devastating toll on journalists. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) recently labeled Palestine the 'most dangerous place in the world for journalists' in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index. The organization reported that nearly 200 media workers have been killed since the war began, at least 42 of them while actively reporting in the field. 'Trapped in the enclave, journalists in Gaza have no shelter and lack basic necessities, including food and water,' RSF said. It also highlighted ongoing threats against journalists in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces and settlers have reportedly carried out a wave of arrests and attacks since October 7, 2023. The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs described the situation as 'the worst ever conflict for journalists,' in its recent report titled 'News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World.' According to the institute, the number of journalists killed in Gaza has surpassed the combined media fatalities of major war including the U.S. Civil War, both World Wars, the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the wars in the Balkans, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. The report found that in 2023, a journalist or media worker was killed every four days, with that frequency rising to one every three days in 2024. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented a record number of journalist deaths in 2024, with Israel responsible for over two-thirds. At least 85 journalists were killed by Israeli forces last year, 82 of them Palestinian. CPJ also criticized Israel for obstructing investigations into the killings and failing to hold its military accountable. Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ's president, said, 'The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and marks a major erosion of international norms meant to protect reporters in conflict zones.' Echoing these concerns, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) called 2024 'one of the worst years' for journalists and condemned the killings as a 'massacre taking place in Palestine before the eyes of the entire world.' The Center for Protecting Palestinian Journalists (PJPS) has also accused Israel of committing widespread human rights violations by targeting members of the press, saying the killings are part of an effort to silence the Palestinian narrative. Despite the mounting toll, Palestinian journalists continue to report from the ground amid the destruction, determined to bear witness to a war that has claimed the lives of so many of their colleagues. Shortlink for this post:
Egypt Independent
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
2024 was the deadliest year for journalists in over three decades. Nearly 70% were killed by Israel, report says
CNN — Last year was the deadliest for journalists in more than three decades, with the majority killed in the Middle East, according to a report released Wednesday by the Last year was the deadliest for journalists in more than three decades, with the majority killed in the Middle East, according to a report released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). At least 124 journalists and media workers were killed in 2024, the most recorded since the CPJ began collecting data three decades ago. Nearly 70% of those deaths were at the hands of the Israeli military in Gaza and Lebanon, the report said, with 82 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces denied targeting media workers, saying it 'takes all operationally feasible measures to mitigate harm to civilians including journalists.' 'Remaining in an active combat zone has inherent risks,' it said in a lengthy statement to CNN, defending its operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Last year's death toll exceeded the previous record in 2007, when 113 journalists were killed, almost half of them amid the US-led war in Iraq. 'The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists in conflict zones, but it is far from the only place journalists are in danger,' the committee's CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in a statement. It accused Israel of being 'slow and not transparent' in its inquiries into soldiers' killings of journalists, of shifting blame to the victims and ignoring its duty to hold its military to account. After Gaza and Lebanon, the report identified Sudan and Pakistan as the deadliest places for journalists, with six media workers killed in each last year. Mexico, Syria, Myanmar, Iraq and Haiti also had multiple killings of journalists in 2024. 'The number of conflicts globally – whether political, criminal, or military in nature – has doubled in the past five years, and this is reflected in the high number of deaths of journalists in nations such as Sudan, Pakistan, and Myanmar,' the CPJ said, citing data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) monitoring initiative. Targeted killings on the rise The CPJ report said at least 24 journalists worldwide had been killed deliberately because of their work over the past year, describing this as 'an alarming rise in the number of targeted killings.' Among them was Ismail Al-Ghoul, a 27-year-old Palestinian journalist, who was killed alongside his cameraman, Rami Al-Rifi, in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza last July, sparking condemnation from advocacy groups. The IDF said in its statement to CNN that Al-Ghoul was a member of Hamas' military wing and had 'participated' in the October 7 attack on Israel, reiterating claims it had made at the time of the attack. Mourners and colleagues holding 'press' signs surround the body of Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul on July 31. Omar Al-Qatta/AFP via Getty Images In the immediate aftermath of Al-Ghoul's killing, his employer, Al Jazeera, denied what it called 'baseless allegations made by the Israeli occupation forces in an attempt to justify its deliberate killing of our colleague, journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul, and his companion, cameraman Rami Al-Rifi.' The IDF has rarely provided specific answers about the circumstances that led to the killing of journalists. Instead, the Israeli military has issued vague statements that reiterate their forces do not intentionally target journalists or that the matter is under investigation. Trapped in the strip alongside their fellow Gaza residents, Palestinian reporters have been the eyes and ears of those suffering under the shadow of war. And with foreign media largely unable to enter, it is their photos, footage and reporting, often gathered at great personal risk, that have shown the world what is happening. The committee said 10 journalists were deliberately killed by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon. The 14 other journalists whose deaths it determined were deliberate were from Haiti, Mexico, Pakistan, Myanmar, Mozambique, India, Iraq, and Sudan. Failures to protect press The report highlighted the ongoing failures to protect journalists and media workers, especially freelancers, in countries with consistently high rates of killings. It cited the killing of a veteran journalist, Alejandro Martínez Noguez, who was shot last August in Mexico while under police protection as an example of the 'persistent flaws' in the country's mechanisms meant to protect journalists. 'The death tolls in Mexico, Pakistan, India, and Iraq reinforced the extreme dangers journalists face in these nations, which have experienced repeated killings over multiple decades despite numerous efforts in some of these countries, including at the national level, to address this,' the report said. Relatives of murdered journalist Alejandro Martínez Noguez attend his funeral and tribute in Celaya, Mexico, on August 7. Mario Armas/AFP via Getty Images Freelancers, it said, were killed at an 'unprecedented rate' last year. A total of 43 were killed, more than a third of all media worker deaths, the majority of which were Palestinians in Gaza. 'The typical freelancer frequently works alone, without staffers' access to protective equipment, security guards, insurance for medical treatment, or benefits that would help surviving family members,' the report said. It called on governments, international institutions and media organizations to ensure accountability for threats and attacks against journalists and to provide media workers with the necessary support to do their work. 'Every journalist killed is the loss of a truth-teller. Those who chronicle our reality and hold power to account deserve justice. We will not stop seeking it,' the committee said in a post on X.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
More journalists killed in 2024 than ever, mostly by Israel: Report
(NewsNation) — In 2024, more journalists were killed than in any year in which numbers were kept by the Committee to Protect Journalists, with Israel responsible for nearly 70% of the deaths. At least 124 journalists died across 18 countries, marking the deadliest year for reporters since CPJ, a nonprofit group that promotes press freedom, began tracking such data more than 30 years ago. The report highlighted that the Israel-Gaza war accounted for the deaths of 85 journalists due to the actions of the Israel Defense Forces. CPJ accused Israel of attempting to suppress investigations into these incidents, shifting blame onto journalists and failing to hold those responsible accountable. Pope Francis hospitalized, Vatican says The IDF told Reuters it could not verify the alleged incidents because not enough information was provided, adding that it takes steps to minimize harm to journalists and civilians. 'The IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target journalists,' the Israeli military said. The number of journalists and media worker deaths in 2024 was notably higher than in recent years, with 102 killed in 2023 and 69 in 2022. The previous record high deaths was in 2007, with 113 killed, many due to the Iraq war. Sudan and Pakistan had the second-highest number of journalists killed last year, CPJ said. Area 51 veterans getting cancer as DOD denies they were there Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ's CEO, called 2024 the 'most dangerous time' in history for journalists. 'The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists in conflict zones, but it is far from the only place journalists are in danger,' Ginsberg said. The report also noted an increase in 'targeted killings,' with at least 24 journalists deliberately killed because of their work in places like Haiti, Mexico, Myanmar and Sudan. CPJ identified at least 10 cases where Israel may have specifically targeted journalists and is investigating 20 more incidents. So far this year, CPJ has documented the killings of six journalists. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Al Jazeera
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel killed majority of record number of journalists slain in 2024: CPJ
A record number of journalists were killed in 2024, with Israel responsible for more than two-thirds of those deaths, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said in its annual report. Announcing its findings on Wednesday, the CPJ said at least 124 journalists were killed in 18 countries last year, in what was the deadliest year for media workers since the committee began keeping records more than three decades ago. The previous deadliest year for media workers was 2007, when 113 journalists were killed, with almost half of those due to the Iraq war, the press freedom group said. 'Today is the most dangerous time to be a journalist in CPJ's history,' the committee's chief Jodie Ginsberg said in the statement. 'The war in Gaza is unprecedented in its impact on journalists and demonstrates a major deterioration in global norms on protecting journalists in conflict zones, but it is far from the only place journalists are in danger,' she said. At least 85 journalists died throughout 2024 at the hands of the Israeli military during Israel's war on Gaza, the CPJ said, with 82 of those who were killed being Palestinians. The advocacy group also accused Israel of attempting to stifle investigations into the killings, shift blame onto journalists for their own deaths, and ignoring its duty to hold its own military personnel accountable for the killings of so many media workers. The CPJ named Sudan and Pakistan as the joint second most deadly countries for media workers last year, with six journalists killed in each. It also said at least 24 journalists were deliberately killed because of their work, in what it described as an 'alarming rise in the number of targeted killings'. The CPJ said 10 journalists were 'murdered' by the Israeli military in Gaza and Lebanon, while the 14 other journalists were assassinated in Haiti, Mexico, Pakistan, Myanmar, Mozambique, India, Iraq, and Sudan. The group said that freelance journalists accounted for 43 deaths – more than 35 percent of last year's total – with 31 of those cases being Palestinians reporting from Gaza. 'International media continue to be barred from reporting from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, except for rare and escorted trips arranged by the Israeli military,' the CPJ said, highlighting the essential work of freelancers in the besieged enclave. 'CPJ has repeatedly advocated for Israel and Egypt to open access, and reiterates that call as part of the ongoing ceasefire,' it added. The Israeli military has killed several Al Jazeera journalists covering the war in Gaza since October 2023. Among those killed were Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi, who died on July 31, 2024, when Israeli forces bombed their car in the Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. Israeli authorities denied deliberately targeting the pair, as well as other journalists in Gaza. In a statement, Al Jazeera Media Network labelled the killings a 'targeted assassination' and pledged to 'pursue all legal actions to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes'. Israel's attacks on Palestinian journalists have also continued into 2025, with reporter Ahmad al-Shayah among six killed in a drone strike on a charity facility in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on January 15.
