AfroMedia urges UN action over killings of journalists in Gaza

August 12, 2025 in Foreign News by Editor

The African Initiative for Journalism and Media (AfroMedia) has condemned what it describes as the “systematic targeting” of journalists in Gaza, calling on the United Nations to take urgent action to protect media professionals working in conflict zones.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the organisation cited reports from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) indicating that more than 240 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, with dozens more injured or detained. AfroMedia said the casualty toll makes the enclave “the most dangerous place in the world to practice journalism in the 21st century.”

The group named several journalists reportedly killed, including Anas Al-Sharif, Hossam Shabat, Ismail Abu Hatab and Yahya Sobeih, and accused Israeli forces of seeking to “silence the truth” and “conceal crimes against civilians.” It said such actions breach the Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, constituting war crimes that require immediate accountability.

AfroMedia called for a formal UN condemnation of the killings, an urgent international investigation — potentially through the International Criminal Court — and guaranteed access for independent foreign media to report from inside Gaza. It also urged the creation of preventive protection measures for journalists, including logistical support and safety equipment for those operating in war zones.

The statement argued that the loss of so many journalists represents not only a human tragedy but also “a damaging blow to press freedom, transparency, and people’s right to knowledge.” The group said the ongoing conflict is being fought “not only on the ground but also at the level of the media narrative,” and warned that restricting independent coverage risks leaving the historical record distorted.

“Defending journalists means defending truth and justice,” AfroMedia said, adding that the international community’s silence “encourages the continuation of these violations.”

International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have previously warned that journalists in Gaza face unprecedented risks, and have called for accountability in line with international humanitarian law.