Five Palestinian journalists were killed in fresh Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, May 18, 2025, raising the number of journalists killed since the war began in October 2023 to at least 152, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS). The latest fatalities, reported from different locations including Gaza City and Khan Younis, have intensified global condemnation of Israel’s ongoing military operations and their devastating impact on media workers.
The PJS confirmed that the journalists were killed while performing their duties, documenting the war and the dire humanitarian situation on the ground. Some of the victims were reportedly wearing clearly marked press vests and had alerted local and international observers of their presence in line with international protocols. Colleagues and eyewitnesses described scenes of destruction at the strike locations, with bodies recovered from beneath rubble in residential zones targeted during overnight bombing.
Media watchdogs and international human rights groups have strongly condemned the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) all issued statements accusing Israel of violating international humanitarian law and called for immediate investigations into what they describe as a systematic campaign to silence independent reporting.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate issued a scathing rebuke of Israel’s conduct, stating:
“The continued targeting of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli occupation is a war crime and a direct attempt to extinguish the truth in Gaza. These attacks are not accidents—they are part of a deliberate policy to silence witnesses.”
According to data released by the CPJ, over 70% of the journalists killed were reporting directly from conflict zones, refugee shelters, or hospitals at the time of their deaths. At least 40 of them were killed in their homes, many alongside family members, during indiscriminate bombings in residential areas. The organization has classified Gaza as “the deadliest place in the world for journalists” in 2025.
The UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, echoed these concerns, stating in a press briefing:
“Journalists are civilians and are protected under international law. The systematic killing of media professionals must stop, and accountability is essential.”
Despite global appeals, Israeli officials have not issued a public response specific to the killing of journalists. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain that their operations are targeting Hamas infrastructure and personnel. However, independent investigations and media documentation have revealed widespread attacks on civilian areas, including hospitals, schools, and media offices.
Gaza has been under relentless aerial and ground assault since the conflict escalated in October 2023. Over 53,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, women, and journalists, have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities. Infrastructure across the Strip has been reduced to rubble, and most communication systems have collapsed, making it increasingly difficult for the international community to verify reports or deliver aid.
In the face of escalating dangers, many Palestinian journalists continue to risk their lives to ensure the world sees the human toll of the war. Working without protective gear, press insurance, or safe corridors, these journalists operate in one of the most hostile environments on Earth.
The international community continues to demand action, including a United Nations-led investigation into violations of press freedom and war crimes. So far, such efforts have been stymied by geopolitical divisions within the UN Security Council.
As the war shows no sign of ending and diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire remain inconclusive, Gaza’s surviving journalists persist in their work under constant threat. For them, the cost of telling the truth has never been higher. And for the world, the silence that may soon fall if these voices are lost could mark the final erasure of accountability from the conflict.
Source; A News
