At least 31 journalists have been killed covering the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to the latest count from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Of the casualties, 26 were Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 1 Lebanese. A further 8 journalists have been reported injured, while 9 are considered missing or detained, the CPJ says.
“Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict in the face of an Israeli ground assault… devastating Israeli airstrikes, disrupted communications, and extensive power outages,” the organisation said in a statement on Monday.
Among the dead are Roshdi Sarraj – a well-known Palestinian filmmaker – and Issam Abdallah, a Beirut-based videographer for Reuters, who was killed near the Lebanon border by shelling coming from the direction of Israel, according to the CPJ. The IDF said it was investigating the claim.
The IDF also told Reuters and the Agence France Press news agencies that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in the Gaza Strip, after they had sought assurances that their employees would not be harmed by Israeli strikes, according to Reuters. (BBC)