West Bank press freedoms under siege as union logs 108 attacks in July
New data from the syndicate’s Freedoms Committee details a pattern of obstruction and violence against media workers, adding to a cumulative death toll of more than 270 journalists since October 2023.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has documented 108 attacks against Palestinian journalists and media workers in the occupied West Bank during July, marking a significant escalation in threats to press freedom in the region. The violations, recorded by the syndicate’s Freedoms Committee, included detention, beating, interrogation, obstruction of coverage, and the seizure or destruction of press equipment.
The committee identified brief detentions and restrictions on reporting as the most prevalent form of harassment, with 58 cases recorded during the month. The syndicate described these actions as part of a broader pattern designed to hinder journalists from documenting Israeli military raids and settler violence on the ground.
Specific incidents included 11 attacks by settlers, which involved physical assaults, shoving, and threats, primarily occurring while crews were covering other incidents in the occupied West Bank. Additionally, there were 12 instances where Israeli forces fired stun grenades or tear gas at journalists, with reports indicating that some media workers suffered suffocation as a result.
Beyond the West Bank, the violence extended to Gaza, where four journalists sustained bleeding injuries while covering developments, including injuries from shrapnel. The committee also recorded four raids on journalists’ homes or media offices, resulting in the closure of one outlet, the confiscation or destruction of equipment in three cases, the deletion of footage in two instances, and the expulsion of journalists from the vicinity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The July figures contribute to what rights groups describe as the deadliest period in history for the profession. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 270 journalists amid a sweeping campaign of arbitrary press detentions. Al Jazeera has confirmed that 12 of its own journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, more than any other media outlet.
In response to the data, the syndicate called for journalists to be allowed to work free from threats, attacks, and pursuit. The organisation demanded accountability for those responsible for the violations, highlighting the increasing difficulty media workers face in operating within the occupied territories.
