Palestinian Journalists Syndicate records 300 violations against media workers in 2026

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said Sunday it had recorded about 300 violations and attacks against Palestinian journalists since the start of 2026, amid escalating targeting of media workers. The announcement came during a rally organized by the syndicate outside its headquarters in al-Bireh in the occupied West Bank, marking World Press Freedom Day and protesting continued attacks on journalists.

Systematic targeting

"Activities organized on World Press Freedom Day aim to highlight the exceptional and unprecedented conditions under which the Palestinian journalist operates," Omar Nazzal, deputy head of the syndicate, told the crowd. Journalists are facing "the fiercest Israeli war machine," he added, noting that more than 4,000 violations have been recorded since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

Casualties and arrests

"The number of journalists killed has reached 262 male and female journalists since that date, including 261 in the Gaza Strip, in addition to six journalists killed since the beginning of 2026," said Mohammad al-Lahham, head of the syndicate's freedoms committee. He added that 2026 has seen 10 direct injuries, 22 arrests, 120 cases of detention or prevention from coverage, and 12 attacks by Israeli forces.

Total violations

Total violations since October 2023 reached 3,983, including 240 cases of direct gunfire at media crews, 352 cases involving tear gas and stun grenades, beatings, confiscation of equipment, and travel bans. The syndicate documented 188 arrests, 187 destroyed media institutions, and 140 homes belonging to journalists destroyed. The killing of 713 family members of journalists indicates targeting extended beyond media workers.

Call for protection

The syndicate said the targeting of journalists "is not individual behavior" but part of a "systematic policy" aimed at restricting journalism and silencing the Palestinian narrative. It called on the UN and international organizations to provide urgent protection for Palestinian journalists, open independent investigations, and ensure accountability.