On World Press Freedom Day, marked annually on 3 May, calls are renewed to protect journalists and safeguard their right to report the truth, recognising them as the voice of the people and the eyes of the world.
In Palestine, however, this day is not observed as a celebration, but as a stark reminder of the heavy price journalists pay to carry out their work. Since the beginning of the recent war on Gaza, the camera itself has become a target, and reporting the truth has turned into a life threatening mission.
The war on Gaza has been one of the deadliest periods for journalists in modern history. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 223 journalists and media workers have been killed since October 2023, the vast majority of them Palestinian journalists who continued reporting despite extreme danger.
In 2025 alone, the organisation documented the killing of 129 journalists worldwide, including 86 killed by Israeli fire, a record high that has made Palestine, and Gaza in particular, the most dangerous place in the world for journalism.
In Palestine, a journalist carries more than a camera. They carry the story of a people, documenting pain and bearing witness to reality. While the world marks press freedom, Palestinian journalists continue their work, even when the cost is their lives.
Tribute to every Palestinian journalist who told the truth through their lens, and paid for it with their life.
