The Palestinian National Council (PNC), the highest decision-making body within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), has called for immediate international action to protect journalists in Gaza and the occupied West Bank amid continued Israeli military operations, Anadolu Agency reports.
In a statement issued Sunday to mark Arab Media Day, the Council held Israel fully accountable for what it described as systematic attacks on journalists.
“The Israeli occupation is fully responsible for its crimes against journalists,” the PNC stated. “Assaults against journalists are a deliberate attempt to silence the voice of Palestine and annihilate its narrative.”
According to Palestinian sources, at least 211 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the escalation of the conflict in October 2023.
“This year’s media anniversary marks one of the deadliest periods in contemporary Palestinian history, during which our people have endured over 18 months of fascist and organized aggression,” the Council noted.
It accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists with airstrikes and missile attacks—actions the Council says blatantly violate international humanitarian law.
“These crimes are being committed amid a troubling silence from the international community and in open violation of key international conventions, notably the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which guarantees protection for civilians—including journalists—during armed conflict,” the statement said.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 51,200 Palestinians, with women and children making up the majority of the casualties, according to Palestinian health authorities.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel is also currently facing genocide proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).