Gaza Journalist Death Toll Rises to 254 Amid Ongoing Conflict

Gaza Journalist Death Toll Rises to 254 Amid Ongoing Conflict
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The Government Media Office in Gaza announced on Wednesday that the number of journalists killed since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, has risen to 254. The latest casualties were identified as journalist Sami Dawood, who worked with Rawafed TV, and journalist Yahya Barzq, who contributed to several local and international outlets. Both were reported killed in an Israeli airstrike.

In its statement, the office said the deaths reflected what it described as systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists who have been documenting the war and its impact on civilians in the enclave. It condemned the killings as deliberate attacks on media workers and part of wider violations against the population of Gaza.

The office placed responsibility for the continuing violence on the Israeli military and its international allies, naming the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. It also called on international media and press unions to condemn the killings and urged the global community to act immediately to stop the conflict and protect journalists operating in Gaza.

According to rights groups, repeated appeals to safeguard journalists have been ignored, with media workers remaining at high risk. The broader conflict has so far left more than 66,000 people dead and over 168,000 injured in Gaza, the majority women and children, alongside worsening humanitarian conditions that have included famine-related deaths.