Global news leaders affirm support for journalists in Gaza

The letter, coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), demonstrates strong and unified support for colleagues reporting from Gaza in the deadliest conflict for journalists ever documented. “For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions,” the letter reads. “These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk.” The letter reminds the international community that journalists are civilians and authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants, according to international law. A total of at least 94 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Gaza war; the majority of them (89) were Palestinians killed by the Israeli military. The signatories include outlets from Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, India, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additional signatories are welcome. Contact CPJ to add your organisation, including name of signatory, title, and name of organisation.

Read the full letter: We, the undersigned, stand united with Palestinian journalists in their call for safety, protection, and the freedom to report. For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions: at least 89 have been killed in the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more journalists than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year. These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely  for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk. They continue despite the loss of family, friends, and colleagues, the destruction of homes and offices, constant displacement, communications blackouts, and shortages of food and fuel. Journalists are civilians and Israeli authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law. Those responsible for any violations of that longstanding protection should be held accountable. Attacks on journalists are also attacks on truth. We commit to championing the safety of journalists in Gaza, which is fundamental for the protection of press freedom everywhere. Signatories

1. Kim Godwin, President, ABC NEWS

2. Phil Chetwynd, Global News Director, Agence France-Presse

3. Hossam Kanafani, Editor-in-Chief, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed

4. Sami Al-Haj, Director, Al Jazeera Center for Public Liberties and Human Rights, Al Jazeera Media Network

5. Sasmito, President, Alliance of Independent Journalists, Indonesia

6. Nora Younis, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Al-Manassa, Egypt

7. Alaa al Ghatrevy, Editor-in-Chief, Al Masry Al Youm, Egypt

8. Elsy Moufarrej, Coordinator, Alternative Press Syndicate, Lebanon

9. Ghassan Hajjar, Managing Editor, An-Nahar, Lebanon

10. Rawan Damen, Director General, ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism)

11. Stefano Corradino, Director, Articolo21, Italy

12. Shiro Nakamura, President, The Asahi Shimbun, Japan

13. Nicole Dungca, President, Asian American Journalists Association, United States

14. Julie Pace, Executive Editor, Associated Press

15. Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive, Association for International Broadcasting

16. Nancy Prager-Kamel, Chairperson, Association of Foreign Press Correspondents, United States

17. Mohamed Shoair, Editor in Chief, Bab Masr website (Wlad al Balad Institution), Egypt

18. Sam Jahan, Convener, Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media

19. Deborah Turness, CEO, BBC News

20. Hikmet Adal, Editor, Bianet, Turkey

21. Ronalyn V. Olea, Editor-in-Chief, Bulatlat, Philippines

22. Rozina Breen, Editor in Chief and CEO, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

23. Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, President, CBS News

24. Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide

25. Daoud Kuttab, Director General, Community Media Network, Jordan

26. Carlos Eduardo Huertas, Founder and Director, CONNECTAS

27. Branko Brkic, Editor-in-Chief, Daily Maverick, South Africa

28. Alia Ibrahim, Co-founder and CEO, Daraj, Lebanon

29. Jakub Patočka, Editor-in-Chief, Denik Referendum

30. Dirk Kurbjuweit, Editor-in-Chief, Der Spiegel, Germany

31. Barbara Junge, Editor-in-Chief, Die Tageszeitung, Germany

32. Ulrike Winkelmann, Editor-in-Chief, Die Tageszeitung, Germany

33. Khaled Elbalshy, President, Egyptian Journalists Syndicate

34. Mohamed Saad Abdel Hafiz, Egyptian Journalists Syndicate / Managing Editor, Al-Shorouk, Egypt

35. Carlos Dada, Director, El Faro

36. Jazmín Acuña, Editor in Chief, El Surtidor, Paraguay

37. Ricardo Gutiérrez, General Secretary, European Federation of Journalists

38. Patrick Mayoyo, Director Editorial Innovations, Eyewitness Africa, Kenya

39. Roula Khalaf, Editor, Financial Times, UK

40. Laurent Richard, Founder and Executive Director, Forbidden Stories, France

41. Giuseppe Di Maula, Editor-in-Chief, FotosIntensi, Italy

42. Laurie Hays, Editor-in-Chief/CEO, The Fuller Project

43. Priti Patnaik, Founding Editor, Geneva Health Files, Switzerland

44. Emilia Díaz-Struck, Executive Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network

45. Andrea Crossan, Executive Director, Global Reporting Centre

46. Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief, The Guardian, UK

47. Julia Montfort, Editor-in-Chief, Guiti News, France

48. Aluf Benn, Editor in Chief, Haaretz

49. Marc Saikali, Chairperson, Ici Beyrouth and This is Beirut, Lebanon

50. Geordie Grieg, Editor in Chief, The Independent, UK

51. Elena Cosentino, Director, International News Safety Institute, UK

52. Frane Maroević, Executive Director, International Press Institute

53. Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director, International Women’s Media Foundation

54. Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, Chairperson, Inquirer Group of Companies, Philippines

55. Deirdre Veldon, Managing Director, The Irish Times, Ireland

56. Rachel Corp, Chief Executive, ITN, UK

57. Andrew Dagnell, Editor, ITV News, UK

58. Patrick Michel, Editor in Chief, Le Mauricien, Mauritius

59. Amir Rotem, Editor-in-Chief, Local Call

60. Terry Tang, Interim Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times

61. RK Anand, Executive Editor, Malaysiakini, Malaysia

62. Mohammed Al-Fazari, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Muwatin Media Network

63. Pamella Sittoni, Group Managing Editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya

64. Yvette Cabrera, President, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, United States

65. Rebecca Blumenstein, President, Editorial, NBC News

66. Emily Wilkins, President, National Press Club, United States

67. Edith Chapin, SVP and Editor-in-Chief, NPR, United States

68. Rameeza Nizami, Managing Director, Nawaiwaqt Group, Pakistan

69. Ebele Okobi, CEO, The New Humanitarian

70. David Remnick, Editor, The New Yorker

71. AG Sulzberger, Publisher, The New York Times

72. Coizta Grecko B, Director, Ojos de Perro vs. la Impunidad, Mexico

73. Maha Al Bahnasawi, Managing Director, ONA Media Services, Egypt

74. Martha Ramos, President, World Editors Forum / Chief Editorial Officer, Organización Editorial Mexicana, Mexico

75. Miranda Patrucic, Editor-in-Chief, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project

76. Amalie Kestler, Managing Editor in Chief, Politiken, Denmark

77. Hans Väre, Editor in Chief, Postimees Grupp, Estonia

78. Musikilu Mojeed, Chief Operating Officer/Editor-in-Chief, Premium Times, Nigeria

79. Alan Rusbridger, Editor, Prospect magazine, UK

80. Lara Bitar, Editor in Chief, The Public Source, Lebanon

81. Jon Sawyer, CEO & President, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting

82. Ritu Kapur, CEO, The Quint, India

83. Marcela Turati, Co-Founder, Quinto Elemento Lab, Mexico

84. Maria Ressa, CEO and Co-Founder, Rappler, Philippines

85. Alessandra Galloni, Editor-in-Chief, Reuters, UK

86. Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director, Samir Kassir Foundation, Lebanon

87. Alejandro Páez Varela, CEO, SinEmbargo, Mexico

88. Kamal Siriwardana, Editor-in-Chief, SMN24Media, Sri Lanka

89. Maryan Seylac, Executive Director, Somali Media Women Association, Somalia

90. Nwabisa Makunga, Editor-in-Chief, The Sowetan, South Africa

91. Ramsey G. Tesdell, CEO, Sowt Media, Jordan

92. Esther Ng, Chief Content Officer, Star Media Group Berhad, Malaysia

93. Wolfgang Krach, Editor in Chief, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany

94. Wafaa Haidar, Director, Tele Liban, Lebanon

95. Wahyu Dhyatmika, CEO, Tempo Digital, Indonesia

96. Anne Marie Owens, Editor-in-Chief, Toronto Star, Canada

97. Lyas Hallas, Co-founder and CEO, Twala, Algeria

98. Fernando Belzunce, Editorial Director, Vocento, Spain

99. Assaad Maroun, Chairperson and General Manager, Voice of Lebanon

100. Sally Buzbee, Executive Editor, The Washington Post

101. Vincent Peyrègne, CEO, World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

102. Ghousoon Bisharat, Editor-in-Chief, +972 Magazine

Download the Open letter on journalists in Gaza.