Deadliest Conflict for the Press: Gaza War Claims Hundreds of Journalists’ Lives

Over the 22 months since October 2023, the Gaza war has become the most lethal conflict for journalists in modern history. Reports estimate that anywhere between 189 and over 270 journalists and media workers have been killed, most of them Palestinian, marking an unprecedented assault on press freedom and human rights.

Targeted strikes, including during live coverage and at hospital press zones, have accounted for a significant share of casualties. A particularly devastating instance occurred on August 10, 2025, when an airstrike destroyed a media tent near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The attack killed seven people, including the prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, his colleagues, and his nephew, prompting widespread condemnation from press freedom organisations.

The situation worsened on August 25, when a double strike hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, a known press workspace. At least 22 people died, among them five journalists working for outlets such as Reuters, Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, and Middle East Eye. The Israeli military labelled the incident a "tragic mishap" and indicated it was investigating, but critics charged that such attacks on medical and media facilities were part of a systematic campaign to silence independent reporting.

Humanitarian groups emphasise that local journalists, often the only reporters on the ground due to restrictions on foreign press, have borne the brunt of the violence. Their deaths have created a near-complete blackout in Gaza, depriving the world of vital, on-the-ground coverage as global scrutiny focuses on unfolding humanitarian disasters.

In the face of escalating violence, over 250 media outlets across 70 countries joined a front-page protest highlighting the killing of more than 200 journalists. The global press is urging governments and international bodies to enforce protections for journalists operating in conflict zones and to uphold the principle that civilian press workers are not legitimate targets under international law.

Sources: The Guardian, Associated Press, Reuters