Ramallah – 9th March 2026 — On March 8, as the world commemorates the struggles of women for justice, freedom, and equality, we salute Palestinian women journalists who continue to carry out their professional mission with courage and determination despite the ongoing risks and violations they face in the course of their journalistic work.
Over the past years, Palestinian women journalists have represented an important professional and national voice in conveying the truth, documenting violations, and bringing the suffering of the Palestinian people to the attention of the world. Despite the immense challenges they face, they continue their work with steadfast commitment, affirming that journalism is a humanitarian mission that cannot be silenced.
During 2025, Palestinian journalism paid a heavy price. A total of 61 women journalists were subjected to various attacks, and 12 women journalists were killed while performing their professional duty of reporting the truth in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, journalist BUSHRA AL-TAWIL remains under administrative detention in Israeli prisons, along with journalist FARAH ABU AYASH, in a clear violation of press freedom and journalists’ right to carry out their work without harassment or arrest.
In addition, Jerusalem-based journalists BAYAN AL-JA’BEH and NISREEN SALEM are currently under house arrest in their homes in the city of Jerusalem, an action that restricts their freedom and limits their ability to practice their journalistic work freely.
These violations reflect the scale of risks faced by Palestinian women journalists, not only in the field, but also through detention, legal restrictions, and various forms of harassment. Despite this, women journalists continue to fulfill their role in defending the public’s right to information and in conveying the voices of women and Palestinian society to the world.
On this international occasion, the MADA Center renews its solidarity with Palestinian women journalists, commends their resilience and courage, and calls on the international community and institutions concerned with press freedom to take serious action to ensure their protection, secure the release of detained women journalists, and end all measures targeting the work of journalists.
Honoring Palestinian women journalists on this day should not be limited to recognizing their sacrifices; it must also include concrete efforts to ensure a safe environment that enables them to carry out their work with freedom and dignity.
