A coalition of local journalists has documented 108 attacks against Palestinian journalists and media workers operating in the occupied West Bank during the month of July. These attacks were reportedly carried out by either the Israeli military or illegal Israeli settlers.
In a statement issued yesterday (Sunday), the coalition’s Freedoms Committee noted that the list includes a range of incidents—from detentions and beatings to interrogations, obstruction of news gathering, and the seizure or destruction of media equipment.
The statement highlighted that the situation in the West Bank has made it increasingly difficult for Palestinian journalists and media workers to report on Israeli military operations and settler violence on the ground.
It was reported that the most frequent incidents in July involved the brief detention of journalists and media workers and the obstruction of news coverage (occurring 58 times). The committee documented 11 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian journalists and media workers, including instances of physical assault, shoving, and intimidation.
The statement noted that these attacks frequently occurred when Palestinian journalists and media workers went to cover settler attacks or Israeli military operations. Additionally, 12 incidents were recorded in which Israeli forces directly fired stun grenades or tear gas canisters at journalists and media workers; several journalists suffered from respiratory distress in these incidents.
Six journalists and media workers were beaten while covering ongoing events in Gaza. Four others sustained injuries, including shrapnel wounds, while two were detained and four were interrogated regarding their reporting.
The committee also documented four raids on the homes of journalists or media offices. Furthermore, there were incidents involving the closure of a media outlet, the seizure or destruction of equipment (three cases), the deletion of footage (two cases), and the expulsion of two journalists from the vicinity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. According to data from human rights organizations, more than 270 Palestinian journalists have lost their lives in the indiscriminate attacks by Israel that began in October 2023.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera has confirmed that 12 of its own journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s offensive—a higher number than that of any other media outlet.
