77 of 99 journalists killed in 2023 lost their lives in Israel-Hamas war: Report
Seventy-seven of 99 journalists killed in 2023 lost their lives in Israel-Hamas war: Report
Out of the 99 journalists killed in 2023, 77 lost their lives in the Israel-Hamas war, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Thursday (Feb 15), according to AFP.
The CPJ stated that the conflict made these 12 months the deadliest for the media industry.
It said that the number of deaths of the reporters would have dropped globally year-on-year had the war not broken between the two sides.
However, it added that the fatalities were stable in Somalia and the Philippines.
"In December 2023, CPJ reported that more journalists were killed in the first three months of the Israel-Gaza war than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year," the CPJ said.
This is the highest-ever death toll reported since the year 2015 and also an increase of approximately 44 per cent on 2022's figures.
"In December 2023, CPJ reported that more journalists were killed in the first three months of the Israel-Gaza war than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year," the CPJ said.
72 out of 77 journalists killed in war were Palestinians
The New York-based press freedom organisation highlighted that out of the 77 journalists killed in the Israel-Hamas war, 72 were Palestinians.
Three Lebanese and two Israelis were also killed.
"Journalists in Gaza are bearing witness on the frontlines," said CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg.
"The immense loss suffered by Palestinian journalists in this war will have long-term impacts for journalism not just in the Palestinian territories but for the region and beyond. Every journalist killed is a further blow to our understanding of the world,"Ginsberg further said.
Earlier, on Feb 7, the organisation said that the number of journalists killed in the Gaza conflict had risen to 85.
CPJ has called it "persecution" of journalists by Israeli forces, and said that it was investigating if the journalists who lost their lives in the war were deliberately targeted by Israeli soldiers.
(With inputs from agencies)