IWMF Condemns Bombing of Media Offices in Gaza

The IWMF joins the global press freedom community to condemn Israel’s bombing of a Gaza building housing Al Jazeera and Associated Press offices. Targeted attacks against the media are attempts to censor press freedom and cannot be tolerated.

According to Associated Press leadership, the location and coordinates of their offices were well known to Israeli military. Additional reports have recorded 30 incidents of journalists being beaten or detained in the region since air raids began last Monday. These attacks appear to be deliberate efforts by Israeli authorities to threaten independent, international reporting on the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.

It is journalists’ responsibility to hold power to account and bring truth to the public; we stand with the staff of Al Jazeera and the Associated Press as they continue doing this critical work. Further, the IWMF calls on Israel to uphold human rights and ensure the functioning of a free, democratic press in the Gaza Strip.

Women journalists in urgent need of housing assistance, medical or psychological care, relocation or legal aid can apply for emergency funding from the IWMF at iwmf.org/programs/emergency-fund/.