Journalism in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text
adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of
the Assembly, on 22 May 2026 (see Doc. 16401, report of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education
and Media, rapporteur: Mr Constantinos Efstathiou; and Doc. 16408, opinion of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy,
rapporteur: Ms Lise Selnes).Provisional version subject
to editorial review.
1. The Parliamentary
Assembly strongly condemns the deliberate targeting and killing
of local journalists in Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
and Israel’s prohibition on international journalists and media outlets
accessing the Gaza Strip.
2. The Assembly's condemnation also extends to the flagrant violations
of press freedom and the harassment of journalists by Hamas, as
well as the absence in Gaza of a legal and practical framework guaranteeing
freedom of expression and information in accordance with international
law.
3. Attacks against journalists, restrictions on media access
and the spread of disinformation in the context of the Gaza conflict
reflect a broader and deeply worrying deterioration of conditions
for freedom of expression and press freedom in situations of conflict.
Impunity for violations committed against journalists risks normalising
attacks on independent media, undermining access to reliable information,
and weakening democratic safeguards far beyond the region. In the
case of Gaza and the broader region, attacks on the free press cannot
be separated from human rights violations and war crimes that are
committed against both Palestinian people and Israeli civilians.
4. Since the launch of Israel’s military campaign in response
to the appalling terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas and other
militias on 7 October 2023, more than 220 journalists have been
killed by the IDF in Gaza. At least 68 of these journalists have
apparently been targeted or killed in the course of carrying out
their work. This includes at least three journalists killed in January
2026, after the October 2025 ceasefire.
5. Moreover, the Assembly expresses its grave concern that, since
7 October 2023, Israeli airstrikes have destroyed most telecommunications
and media infrastructure, and the humanitarian and economic situation has
greatly deteriorated, which impacts directly on the work of local
journalists.
6. The Assembly is disturbed by the IDF’s denial of allegations
that they deliberately target and kill journalists, and their claim
that they direct their strikes only towards military targets and
military operatives, avoiding targeting civilian objects and civilians,
including media organisations and journalists as such.
7. In that regard, the IDF has released documents that purport
to reveal the involvement of Al Jazeera journalists as terrorist
operatives and that indicate close co-operation between Hamas and
the media network. Al Jazeera refutes these claims, and international
press associations do not consider them to be substantiated.
8. The Assembly also emphasises that violations of press freedom
by Hamas have also been widespread and under-reported, primarily
due to the fear of reprisals, given that Hamas is known for violently
targeting, persecuting and killing its critics.
9. The Assembly deeply deplores and condemns Israel’s policy
and practice of refusing international journalists access to Gaza
for reporting purposes. This prohibition has not changed even after
a ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Hamas as part of Donald
Trump’s peace plan. The Israeli High Court of Justice has postponed
on several occasions a ruling on a petition filed by the Foreign
Press Association calling for free, independent press access to
Gaza.
10. The Assembly adds its voice once more to all those calling
for the full respect by Israel of its obligations under international
humanitarian and human rights law.
11. The Assembly firmly reiterates that freedom of information
is linked to the safety and protection of journalists, and stresses
that journalists are society’s eyes and ears, bearing witness to
the situation on the ground during political and military operations,
most importantly in the face of humanitarian catastrophes and crises.
12. The Assembly reaffirms its long-standing commitment to the
protection and safety of journalists, including through its initiatives
aimed at promoting media freedom and combating impunity for crimes committed
against journalists in conflict situations. In this respect, it
recalls the Assembly commemoration “Victory for Viktoria”, honouring
journalists killed or disappeared in conflict and reaffirming the
essential role of independent journalism in democratic societies.
13. The Assembly underlines that journalists working in areas
of armed conflict are civilians and are protected as such under
international humanitarian law, provided that they do nothing to
adversely affect their legal status. Targeting and killing journalists
and their families is a war crime, which cannot meet with impunity.
14. The deliberate exposure of local journalists to life-threatening
circumstances, or even death, and the lack of access for international
journalists to the Gaza Strip, has allowed the perpetration of violations
of human rights and humanitarian international law by Israel, without
facing any accountability.
15. As regards the IDF's claims about the alleged close co-operation
between the deceased journalists and Hamas, as well as other terrorist
organisations, the Assembly points out that these cannot be verified
by independent journalists without unrestricted access to the Gaza
Strip.
16. The Assembly recalls its
Resolution 2623 (2025) in which it urgently called for the protection of journalists
working in Gaza, deploring “the exceptionally high number of journalists
killed or injured in Gaza”, calling on all parties “to ensure their
protection and the safe unhindered access of all journalists to
conflict areas”.
17. For all these reasons, the Assembly urges Israel to halt the
targeting of journalists and to fully adhere to all relevant international
human rights and humanitarian obligations in this respect.
18. The Assembly urges Israel to immediately:
18.1 refrain from targeting journalists
and their families, as well as any other civilians;
18.2 carry out full and independent investigations into all
killings of journalists in Gaza, make public the conclusions, and
take any steps necessary to punish those responsible and provide
redress;
18.3 allow access to the Gaza Strip to local and foreign journalists,
as well as international organisations responsible for providing
information or carrying out investigations, and facilitate their
work in safe conditions.
19. The Assembly calls on the International Criminal Court to
investigate the alleged war crimes committed by the Israeli army
against journalists in Gaza and the crimes committed by Hamas against
Israeli journalists during the attacks of 7 October 2023.
20. The Assembly calls on Council of Europe member States to:
20.1 support the request by international
press associations for the immediate granting of free and safe access
of international media to Gaza so that the situation on the ground
can be observed and reported;
20.2 maintain pressure on Israel to ensure a thorough and impartial
investigation into all violations against journalists during the
Israel-Gaza conflict;
20.3 plead for and facilitate the evacuation of Palestinian
journalists and their families from Gaza where it is needed for
their immediate protection and provide them with psychological and
material support.
21. With regard to the conditions for sustainable peace, the Assembly:
21.1 stresses that independent journalism
and unhindered access to reliable information are essential safeguards
against disinformation, radicalisation and impunity;
21.2 emphasises that transparency and accountability are indispensable
for rebuilding trust between communities and creating the conditions
for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East;
21.3 reiterates its commitment to a peaceful, just and sustainable
future for Israelis and Palestinians based on the two-State solution
and in full respect for international law.
