53 Journalists Killed Since Israel-Hamas Conflict Broke Out, CPJ: High Risk Covering Land Attacks

Illustration of journalists on the battlefield of conflict. (Wikimedia Commons/Mstyslav Chernov)

JAKARTA - The number of journalists killed in the Israeli-Hamas conflict since October 7 has increased to at least 53 people, according to the Journalists Protection Committee (CPJ).

Citing the CPJ website on November 22, the latest death toll was two journalists working for Lebanese media Al Mayadeen, Farah Omar (reporter) and Rabih Al Maamari (person's camera). Both died on November 21.

Meanwhile, Al Mayadeen said in a statement the two journalists were killed in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. The Israeli military said it was covering the incident.

"This is an area with active hostility, where there was a shootout. The presence in the region is dangerous," the Israeli military said, quoted from CNN Nov. 22.

Of the 53 journalists killed, 46 were Palestinians, four Israelis, and three Lebanese, CPJ said in a statement on Tuesday.

In addition, 11 journalists were reportedly injured, three people were reported missing and 18 other journalists were reportedly detained.

Advocacy groups journalism said the conflict in Gaza was the deadliest period for journalists since they started tracking data in 1992.

"Jurnalis di Gaza menghadapi risiko yang sangat tinggi ketika mereka mencoba untuk meliputi konflik selama serangan darat Israel, termasuk serangan udara Israel yang menghancurkan, gangguan komunikasi, kekurangan pasokan dan batut listrik yang luas," kata CPJ.

CPJ is also investigating a number of reports that cannot be confirmed regarding other journalists killed, missing, detained, injured, or threatened and about damage to media offices and journalists' homes.

"The CPJ emphasizes that journalists are civilians who do important work during times of crisis and should not be targeted by warring parties," said Mansour, coordinator of the CPJ program in the Middle East and North Africa.

"Journalists across the region make great sacrifices to cover this heartbreaking conflict. People in Gaza, in particular, have suffered and continue to bear unprecedented losses and face enormous threats. Many of them have lost their co-workers, family, and media facilities, and fled to seek safety when there is no shelter or a safe way out," he said.