Throughout history, wars have always been a common occurrence on the global stage. Whether there are border issues, ethnic clashes, or ideological rifts, states have always acted in favor of their national interest. If we look into the history of some of the most heinous wars of all time, i.e., WWI, WWII, etc., we can observe that international entities tried their best to keep civilians apart from the war zone. The international humanitarian law (IHL), the Geneva and the Hague Conventions have strictly explicated the difference between combatants and civilians. Moreover, the safety and security of civilians also comes under customary IHL, which means it is obligatory for all states to refrain from attacking civilians in spite of the fact that they have ratified any convention or not.
“The greatest strength and greatest weakness of journalism is its inability to remain silent.” (Henry Anatole Grunwald)
In the context of wars, a civilian faction known as ‘journalists’ plays the most significant part by providing real-time information from the war zone. Journalists and reporters function to record the ongoing war scenario, collect ground information, and provide details to the world about humanitarian losses in the conflict area. But this duty comes with a lot of risks. History is evident from the world wars to the vicious Vietnam conflict; journalists have put their lives at risk. But the current geopolitical stage is witnessing something super vicious. From adolescents to journalists, Gaza is suffering. No doubt journalists or civilian casualties occur during wars, but up to a certain limit. We are seeing Israel intentionally targeting journalists in Gaza. And, this inhuman act is increasing with time.
Who Are Journalists?
Journalists are civilians who collect, observe, and record the grassroots information, especially in war scenarios, unveiling the humanitarian losses and war crimes. They are unbiased individuals. Their job is to provide real-time information without any prejudice to the wider audience from the war zones. From war crimes to the stories of civilians and refugees, journalists provide firsthand information, which otherwise would be faded away by the powerful entities. In addition, according to international laws, journalists are qualified as reporters, professionals, photographers, freelancers, and other media staff.
Legal Protection of Journalists
Geneva Conventions (1949)
“As long as they don’t do anything that would make their status as civilians less favorable, journalists working in areas of armed conflict on risky professional assignments will be regarded as civilians.” [Additional Protocol I (Article 79)]
Rome Statue (1998)
“Intentionally targeting journalists or people, equipment, supplies, units, or vehicles that are a part of a peacekeeping or humanitarian effort.” [(War Crimes – Article 8(2)(e)(iii)]
Customary International Humanitarian Law
“As long as they are not actively participating in hostilities, civilian journalists working on official assignments in armed conflict zones should be respected and safeguarded.” (Rule#34, ICRC)
Comparative Analysis: Journalists Killed in Gaza vs Historic & Modern Wars
- World War II
WWII (1939-1945) was the most heinous conflict ever recorded in history. Despite this, only about 70-100 journalists lost their lives. The BBC reports hint that this low number might be due to military control, which kept journalists away from the most dangerous battle zones. Moreover, a lot of the fighting happened in open areas instead of crowded cities. Among those who tragically lost their lives was Ernie Pyle, who was basically America’s favorite war correspondent. He was killed by autonomous shelling in the Pacific. And then many others died while covering the Eastern Front.
- Vietnam War
The Vietnam conflict, which spanned over two decades, resulted in around 60-70 journalists losing their lives, according to the reports of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). This really highlights how different the combat conditions were. No doubt, Vietnam was a risky place, but a lot of journalists were placed within battalions in the jungles instead of hanging out in crowded cities where things could get a lot more chaotic. Prominent journalists such as David Halberstam and Neil Sheehan managed to report for years without losing their lives. Thus, the overall death rate stayed relatively low.
- Contemporary Wars
The 2003 Iraq War was extremely hazardous for journalists. As this war lasted till 2021, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) disclosed about 283 deaths throughout those 18 years. A lot of these fatalities happened during the Iraq insurgency when violent non-state actors were actively targeting reporters. In the case of Afghanistan, there were about 70 journalists who lost their lives from 2001 to 2021, as unveiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In the case of Ukraine, there are also no significant journalist killings reported. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), about 70-100 journalists lost their lives in two years. Now, comparing these reports with those of Gaza, it is crystal clear that Gaza is facing an unprecedented and severe killing of journalists.
- Gaza Conflict
The current situation in Gaza has turned into the worst conflict in recent memory for journalists. According to the United Nations (UN), approximately 242 journalists and media workers have lost their lives up to now. That number is already higher than what we saw in many significant conflicts from the 20th century. Moreover, Reporters Without Borders points out that around 90% of those casualties are Palestinian journalists. It really brings to light the survival risks that reporters face every day. The United Nations has spoken out multiple times against what seems to be a troubling trend of targeting media personnel and their infrastructure. Prominent journalists targeted by Israel in Gaza include Shireen Abu Akleh, Mustafa Thuraya, Issam Abdallah, Samer Abu Daqqa, Roshdi Sarraj, etc.
On August 25, 2025, five journalists, along with other locals, were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza. They were cowardly attacked while reporting the Israeli war crimes. The Israeli army claimed it was a tragic accident. Their target was only those cameramen who were associated with Hamas. Muhammad Salam, Abu Moaz, Hussam al-Masri, and Abu Dagga were the heroic journalists killed in Israeli strikes. The United Nations and journalism organizations have condemned the strike. They said that during times of war, hospitals and journalists need to be given additional protection. As a result, senators are persistently writing special letters to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking that the United States pressure Israel over the killings of journalists and permit international journalists to operate freely in the Gaza Strip.
This incident raised alarms for the safety and security of media personnel in war-prone areas. These workers operate under the status of non-combatants, who must be given extra protection during wartime. These reporters were out there, exposing the ground realities. But then a strike destroyed everything. The killing of these journalists actually highlights just how dangerous it can be to report from war zones. Their mission was not to take up arms; theirs was to tell the truth. However, they unfortunately became victims of the same violence that they were covering. This incident presents some serious red flags concerning the security of media professionals in such risky regions.
International Reaction and Challenges
Over this critical matter, the international media and community has been divided from the very first day. On one side, the UN has condemned Israel’s move against civilians, especially the journalists. On the other hand, Israel and its allies, i.e., the US, are openly giving shut-up calls to all these claims. In a recent statement, the spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez said, “We have consistently made it clear that we oppose all journalist murders. Media professionals should be free to do their jobs in Gaza and everywhere else without facing discrimination, harassment, or intimidation.”
When questioned about journalist killings in Gaza, US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce responded, “Every innocent life is important to us. For information about the targeted journalists, we direct you to Israel. Evidence that these journalists were Hamas members and encouraged the October 7 Hamas attack has been made public by Israel. Hamas had members who were integrated into society, including by pretending to be journalists, and we are dealing with a complex and terrible situation.
These statements clearly depict the international divide over the Gaza conflict. The world’s greatest peacekeeping organization is condemning Israel, while on the other hand, the world’s superpower is supporting the Israeli claims and targeting. This has posed a serious challenge, which has increased the number of journalists killed by Israeli hands in Gaza.
Conclusion
The situation in the Gaza Strip in every aspect is becoming more severe day by day. What Israel is doing is completely unacceptable. Without any clear evidence, the IDF is targeting civilians and journalists with false claims of their association with Hamas.
This can only be avoided if and only if the international community is united. They must demand accountability and clear proof from Israel on every operation and target. Journalists must be allowed to shoot documentaries and gather real-time information under protective mechanisms. If the situation continues as it is, then no grassroots information will be made public, and Israel will write the cause and consequences of the war on its own. The international community must therefore stand up for the truth, protect press freedom, and not keep quiet.
If you want to submit your articles and/or research papers, please visit the Submissions page.
To stay updated with the latest jobs, CSS news, internships, scholarships, and current affairs articles, join our Community Forum!
The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
He is pursuing a BS in International Relations programme from International Islamic University, Islamabad and has a keen interest in research works, policy analysis, defence and strategic studies and conflict resolution.