More than 250 media organisations from over 70 countries staged a coordinated blackout on Monday to protest the killing of journalists in the Gaza Strip and to demand greater protection for reporters working in conflict zones, organisers said.
The unprecedented action, led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the campaigning movement Avaaz, saw newspapers, broadcasters and digital outlets simultaneously turn their front pages or homepages black and interrupt programming to highlight the risks faced by journalists in Gaza.
The coalition called for an end to what it described as the “impunity” surrounding the killing of reporters by the Israeli army, the emergency evacuation of journalists who wish to leave the enclave, and access for foreign press to report independently from the territory.
“At the rate journalists are being killed in Gaza by the Israeli army, there will soon be no one left to keep you informed,” RSF general director Thibaut Bruttin said in a statement. “This isn’t just a war against Gaza, it’s a war against journalism.”
RSF cited figures showing that dozens of Palestinian journalists have been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated in October 2023, making Gaza one of the most dangerous places in the world for media workers.
The organisations said their action also marked the tenth anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2222, which reaffirmed international protections for journalists during armed conflicts.
Israel has denied deliberately targeting journalists and says it acts to eliminate threats from Hamas fighters who operate from civilian areas.
By Mabinti Kamara
