A relative mourns Palestinian journalist Akram al-Shafii, killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, in a morgue of the European Gaza Hospital in Rafah, January 6, 2024

The Gaza Government Media Office announced Tuesday that the number of journalists killed since the beginning of the ongoing conflict has risen to 170, following the death of journalist Hamza Murtaja.

Murtaja was killed in an airstrike targeting Mustafa Hafez School in western Gaza City.

Murtaja's death comes just a day after the announcement of the death of another Palestinian journalist, Ibrahim Muhareb, who was found near Hamad City, northwest of Khan Yunis. Muhareb had been missing since Saturday after the Israeli occupation forces targeted a group of journalists in the area.

In May, UNESCO awarded its Global Prize for Press Freedom to all Palestinian journalists covering the Israeli aggression on Gaza, which has been ongoing for over ten months following Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Mauricio Weibel, Chair of the International Jury for Media Professionals, stated, "In these times of darkness and chaos, we want to send a strong message of solidarity and recognition to Palestinian journalists who are covering this crisis under tragic circumstances."

Weibel added, "Humanity owes them an immense debt for their courage and commitment to freedom of expression."

The occupation's targeting of journalists

In a recent letter addressed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 113 journalists stressed that targeting journalists is a war crime under international law, reminding the US of its law that prohibits aiding foreign forces involved in human rights violations, alluding to "Israel's" record killing of journalists.

In a report released by the International Federation of Journalists, reporters covering the genocide in Gaza are dying at a significantly higher rate compared to other professions.

The report further found that 12% of Gazan journalists have been killed, attributing the "unusually high" mortality rate of media professionals to deliberate Israeli targeting.

In the letter, the journalists called out the United States for its unwavering support for the Israeli occupation, accusing it of complicity with "Israel's" actions.

“Israel’s military actions are not possible without US weapons, US military aid, and US diplomatic support," the letter stated, asserting that "by providing the weapons being used to deliberately kill journalists, you are complicit in one of the gravest affronts to press freedom today."

The restriction of freedom of the press under the Israeli occupation and genocide in Gaza has been a prevalent ongoing phenomenon since October 7.

The occupation has restricted and suppressed media and news coverage through internet outages, imposing military censorship on both local and international journalists, prohibiting international reporters from entering Gaza, and banning media facilities for alleged national security reasons.

“Israel’s deliberate targeting of journalists follows a longstanding pattern by the Israeli government to suppress truthful reporting on its treatment of Palestinians and its war in Gaza,” the letter said.