Ramallah – September 12, 2024: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) has released its semi-annual report on the state of media freedoms in Palestine, covering the first six months of 2024. This report comes in light of the intense crackdown on media freedoms and freedom of expression that has escalated since October 7, 2023, marking the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip.
The report highlights a significant increase in the number of violations documented by MADA during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, showing a 40% rise. During the first half of this year, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the eastern part of occupied Jerusalem witnessed a total of 327 incidents of violations and attacks. This is a notable increase from the 234 violations documented in the first half of 2023, representing a rise of 93 incidents. The primary reason for this increase is the surge in violations committed by the occupying authorities and forces against media freedoms since the commencement of the genocidal war on Gaza. This includes, prominently, the murder of journalists, which has had the most profound impact on other Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation forces were responsible for the majority of these violations, with 318 incidents reported, constituting 97% of the documented violations. This figure represents a 36% increase compared to the violations documented during the same period last year. The Israeli violations were distributed as follows: 217 incidents in the West Bank and 101 incidents in the Gaza Strip, including the killing of 47 journalists.
The report indicates that Israeli violations encompassed 17 different types, with the most severe being the killing of journalists. These violations have significantly increased in the first half of this year, aiming to terrorize journalists and media outlets to keep them away from the field. Most of these attacks were carried out under orders and incitement from the highest Israeli levels. The intensity of these attacks increased in the West Bank and Gaza Strip due to the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, with heightened hostile activities against media freedoms, including the killing of 47 journalists and injuring dozens by bullets, live ammunition, or war shrapnel. Various types of violations were committed in the West Bank during coverage of anti-war protests or reporting on attacks against citizens in areas with high resistance activities.
The report also notes a significant decrease in Palestinian-perpetrated violations—categorized into six types—in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. MADA documented a total of 9 violations by Palestinian parties in the West Bank, with no documented violations in Gaza due to the ongoing war, compared to 30 violations documented during the same period in 2023. This indicates a 70% decrease in Palestinian violations compared to the previous year.
Additionally, the report did not document any violations by social media companies or platforms against media freedoms in Palestine, as journalists' attention has been focused on the more severe violations committed by Israeli authorities, particularly the murders of journalists.
For the full report, please visit: https://www.madacenter.org/en/article/1484/
