Senior editors and leaders of 36 global news outlets, including Haaretz, issued an open letter on Friday affirming their support for Palestinian journalists in Gaza, 89 of whom have been killed in the war since October 7.

«We, the undersigned, stand united with Palestinian journalists in their call for safety, protection, and the freedom to report,» the letter, released by the Committee to Protect Journalists, said.

Signatories include ABC News president Kim Godwin, AP executive editor Julie Pace; Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni; The Guardian editor-in-chief Katharine Viner; The Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Grieg; Washington Post executive editor Sally Buzbee; and AG Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times. Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn also joined the list of news executives.

The letter went on to say, «For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions: at least 89 have been killed in the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more journalists than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year.»

«These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk. They continue despite the loss of family, friends, and colleagues, the destruction of homes and offices, constant displacement, communications blackouts, and shortages of food and fuel.»

The open letter ended with a direct call to Israel: «Journalists are civilians, and Israeli authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law.

Those responsible for any violations of that longstanding protection should be held accountable. Attacks on journalists are also attacks on truth. We commit to championing the safety of journalists in Gaza, which is fundamental for the protection of press freedom everywhere.»

The Haaretz editorial on January 10, titled «Israel Must Safeguard Journalists in Gaza,» stated: «The Israel Defense Forces repeatedly denies targeting journalists or regarding them as legitimate targets. It says it does everything in its ability to prevent harm to the innocent. But when the number of dead in Gaza continues to climb and is today more than 23,000, most of them women and children and non-combatant men, the idea that journalists are protected by the IDF seems ridiculous. Last May, the Committee to Protect Journalists published a report saying the IDF had killed 20 journalists since 2001. No soldier has ever been prosecuted in connection with these killings; in only one case was a criminal investigation opened.»

On Wednesday, a group of more than 50 broadcast journalists from around the world signed an open letter demanding that Israel and Egypt let them enter the Gaza Strip freely and independently, which they have been forbidden from doing since the war began.

Signatories to the letter, which was sent to Israeli and Egyptian embassy representatives in London, include journalists from the BBC, CBS, CNN, British Channel 4 and others.

«There is intense global interest in the events in Gaza and for now the only reporting has come from journalists who were already based there,» the letter stated.

«It’s vital that local journalists’ safety is respected,» the letter continued, «and that their efforts are bolstered by the journalism of members of the international media. The need for comprehensive on the ground reporting of the conflict is imperative. The risks of conflict reporting are well understood by our organizations, who have decades of experience of reporting in war zones around the world and in previous wars in Gaza.»

In January, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected out of hand a petition that the Foreign Press Association in Israel filed against the defense minister, the Southern District commander and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories to allow them independent access into Gaza without being accompanied by a minder from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

«Even if this policy doesn’t allow the full implementation of freedom of the press, noting the extreme security circumstances at this time, the real dangers in providing independent entry permits to journalists in the present situation – we believe that the policy is balanced and reasonable,» the ruling, written by Justice Ruth Ronen. «As circumstances change in due course, the way is open to resubmitting the petition, if required.» Justices Daphne Barak-Erez and Khaled Kabub concurred with the ruling.

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