Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) led 23 Members of Congress in writing to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to express concern for the high death toll of journalists and significant challenges to press freedom in Gaza. With more journalists killed in three months than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, the letter calls for urgent action to protect journalists and press freedom in Gaza.
“We urgently write to express our concern regarding the significant challenges to press freedom in the current war in Gaza,” wrote the Members in their letter. “Since October 7, at least 88 journalists and media workers have been killed during the conflict. This includes the four Israeli journalists who were killed by Hamas during the violent terror attack on October 7, as well as 83 Palestinian journalists and three Lebanese journalists reportedly killed as a result of Israel’s response in Gaza and Lebanon. As Israel conducts operations against Hamas, we ask that you work with the Israeli and Egyptian governments to protect press freedom and ensure journalists are able to execute their ‘vitally important role,’ as you have described, in providing accurate reporting on the full scale of the war.”
Specifically, the Members urged Secretary Blinken to work with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts to:
- Take every necessary measure to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza, including journalists;
- Permit the entry of foreign journalists into Gaza;
- Allow journalists, foreign and local, to leave the enclave if they wish;
- Ensure journalists may have access to personal protective gear and critical equipment, including distinguishing insignia, bulletproof vests, helmets, and phone chargers. Palestinian journalists already in Gaza should also be allowed access to these necessary products.
- Prioritize the protection of telecommunications and network infrastructure to prevent internet and phone blackouts, and facilitate quick repair of damaged facilities.
- Conduct a thorough and immediate investigation of cases of harassment, arrest, and attacks of journalists, to ensure that internationally accepted standards are being upheld.
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“Thank you for your efforts to prioritize the protection of civilians in the Israel-Gaza war, and we look forward to working with you to protect our shared democratic values, including a free and independent press,” the Members concluded.
In addition to Connolly and Schakowsky, the letter was signed by the following Members of Congress: Beyer, Blumenauer, Carson, Castro, Chu, Cohen, Dean, Doggett, Frost, Grijalva, Jacobs, Hank Johnson, Kamlager-Dove, Keating, Khanna, Kildee, Barbara Lee, Lofgren, McGovern, Norton, Quigley, Raskin, and Watson Coleman.
The letter is endorsed by the following organizations: J Street, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Freedom of the Press Foundation, Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC), and Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Blinken,
We urgently write to express our concern regarding the significant challenges to press freedom in the current war in Gaza. Since October 7, at least 88 journalists and media workers have been killed during the conflict. This includes the two Israeli journalists who were killed by Hamas during the violent terror attack on October 7, as well as 83 Palestinian journalists and three Lebanese journalists reportedly killed as a result of Israel’s response in Gaza and Lebanon. As Israel conducts operations against Hamas, we ask that you work with the Israeli and Egyptian governments to protect press freedom and ensure journalists are able to execute their “vitally important role,” as you have described, in providing accurate reporting on the full scale of the war.
With more journalists killed in three months than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year, we remain concerned that not enough steps have been taken to safeguard the lives of the civilian population in Gaza, including journalists. We are grateful for your continuous work to address the unbearable conditions and high number of civilian casualties including by ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians, but more must be done to address the unique challenges journalists in Gaza face.
We greatly appreciate your remarks recognizing the deaths of Al Jazeera Gaza Bureau Chief Wael Dahdouh's sons and other family members as "the worst possible loss,” and thank you for raising the issue of protecting journalists on your recent trips to the region. In that spirit, we respectfully request that you work with your counterparts to address additional challenges posed by Israel, as well as Egypt, that hamper the ability of journalists to do their dangerous yet important work. Hamas, which has a history of harassing and physically torturing journalists in Gaza in attempts to obstruct the free flow of information, has already created an environment dangerous for journalists. Palestinian and foreign journalists in Gaza now must contend with constant aerial bombardments and the repeated internet blackouts caused by damage to network facilities.
Since October 7th, the number of international journalists allowed to enter Gaza has been severely limited, and those who are guaranteed entry are often unable to freely move around and are limited to tours organized by the IDF. We ask that you work with Israeli and Egyptian partners to guarantee independent freedom of movement necessary for journalistic reporting. While these restrictions have been framed as necessary to protect journalists’ lives, the free flow of information and accurate reporting on the war’s impact are critical to preserving the democratic principle of the freedom of the press, informing the international community about the reality on the ground, and pursuing accountability. Conflict-zone reporters are aware and accustomed to the risks associated with such reporting and should be allowed to continue their courageous work.
At the same time, Israel must do all they can to protect the lives of civilians at large, including local journalists. In addition to life-saving humanitarian aid and medical supplies, Palestinian journalists require access to personal protective equipment, such as bulletproof vests and headgear, to allow them to continue reporting from the field. The Israeli and Egyptian governments must also allow injured journalists to leave Gaza to receive medical treatment.
At the heart of every democracy, there is a right to free expression and journalists are allowed to do their jobs without interference. Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself, and as a democracy, must operate within the confines of international law. We therefore respectfully ask that you work with your Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, as appropriate, to secure the following:
- Take every necessary measure to protect the lives of civilians in Gaza, including journalists;
- Permit the entry of foreign journalists into Gaza;
- Allow journalists, foreign and local, to leave the enclave if they wish;
- Ensure journalists may have access to personal protective gear and critical equipment, including distinguishing insignia, bulletproof vests, helmets, and phone chargers. Palestinian journalists already in Gaza should also be allowed access to these necessary products.
- Prioritize the protection of telecommunications and network infrastructure to prevent internet and phone blackouts, and facilitate quick repair of damaged facilities.
- Conduct a thorough and immediate investigation of cases of harassment, arrest, and attacks of journalists, to ensure that internationally accepted standards are being upheld.
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Thank you for your efforts to prioritize the protection of civilians in the Israel-Gaza war, and we look forward to working with you to protect our shared democratic values, including a free and independent press.
Sincerely,
