Crime Against Truth: Unprecedented Killing of Journalists in Gaza and the Cry of the Afghanistan Journalists Federation
According to a report by Brown University, since the onset of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, between 147 and 232 journalists and media workers have lost their lives in the region. This figure is not only a tragic and unprecedented record in global journalism history but also surpasses the number of journalists killed during World War II (67).
Weezha Roz-Kabul-In 2025, at least 15 journalists have been killed, with 10 of those deaths occurring in Israel and Gaza.
Seventy percent of the victims were deliberately targeted, and female journalists have faced gender-based harassment, sexual assault, and physical attacks.
Journalists in Gaza face more than the threat of death; they also battle with the following challenges:Severe malnutrition and lack of access to clean drinking water.
Absence of safe shelters and frequent power outages.
Limited access to professional equipment such as cameras and internet.
The Afghanistan Federation of Journalists, one of the leading organizations defending journalists’ rights in the region, condemned these atrocities and called for immediate international action.
They have urged the United Nations to file an official complaint against the Israeli regime and place the perpetrators of these killings on the list of war criminals.
They also called for a comprehensive boycott of Israel by organizations supporting freedom of the press, such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
They emphasized, “Killing journalists is killing humanity and silencing the voice of awakened societies.”
Why Are Journalists Being Targeted?
Fawzia Sediqi, president of the Media Consulting Company (Banoy Nakhbeh) and a journalist in Afghanistan, says, “Israel imposes its official narrative by eliminating eyewitnesses.”
Journalists in Gaza are documenting human rights violations and the use of banned weapons.
The lack of enforcement of international laws designed to protect journalists in conflict zones is one of the reasons why journalists are experiencing an unprecedented level of casualties.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has labeled Israel as the “most dangerous region for journalists.”
So far, the United Nations has not taken any practical steps to protect journalists.
Inspired by the struggle for media freedom in Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Journalists Federation calls on the international community to:Establish a special tribunal to prosecute the perpetrators of journalist killings.
Apply diplomatic pressure on countries supporting Israel to stop arms supplies.
Provide financial and logistical support to Palestinian journalists to continue their work.
Silence in the face of these crimes is complicity with the occupiers. Journalists are the unarmed soldiers of truth.
Weezharoz
