The Palestinian Journalists Union has announced that since the beginning of Israel’s airstrikes in Gaza, 11 Palestinian journalists have been killed, and 20 media personnel have been injured.
On Monday, the Union reported that two journalists are still missing.
The report from the Palestinian Journalists Union highlights that numerous journalists in the western border and Jerusalem have faced violence and have been unable to cover events.
The Union also added in its report that nearly 50 main offices and branches of media outlets, including Palestine TV, France Press, Shehab News Agency, Ma’an News Agency, WAFA News Agency, Al Jazeera Network, and several other media organizations, have been targeted by Israeli bombings.
The Palestinian Journalists Union has stated that the continuous interruption of internet and electricity in the Gaza Strip has prevented journalists from covering events.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made an impassioned plea, urging Hamas to release all hostages without conditions and calling on Israel to ensure unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza’s vulnerable civilian population.
This call comes amid the enduring blockade affecting the densely populated Gaza Strip, home to around 2.3 million people and governed by Hamas.
Antonio Guterres has drawn attention to the dire conditions in Gaza, where shortages of water, electricity, and vital resources are causing immense suffering. The United Nations is prepared to provide essential supplies such as food, water, medical equipment, and fuel from strategically located points in Egypt, Jordan, the West Bank, and Israel, ensuring swift assistance to the distressed population.
As Gaza’s hospitals struggle with a surge in casualties due to critical fuel and medicine shortages, the situation has reached a critical point. There are fears that thousands of lives could be at risk. However, there is a glimmer of hope as the Rafah border crossing is set to reopen, allowing foreign nationals to leave and facilitating the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid, a commitment made following discussions between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the President of Egypt.
