PEN Canada strongly condemns the killing of six journalists in Gaza on August 10, 2025, by the Israeli military. Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed al-Khaldi were killed in a targeted airstrike on a tent used by media personnel in Gaza City. The Israeli Defense Forces claimed that al-Sharif was affiliated with Hamas’s military wing; al-Sharif had previously denied these accusations.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, at least 192 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, of whom 184 were Palestinian, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The United Nations reports a total of 242 journalists killed in Gaza, making this conflict the deadliest war for journalists in modern history.
The deliberate targeting of journalists constitutes a war crime under international humanitarian law. The Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions stipulates that “journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians,” provided that they play no role in the hostilities. The UN Security Council Resolution 2222 affirms “that parties to an armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, including those who exercise their right to freedom of expression by seeking, receiving, and disseminating information.”
PEN Canada stands in solidarity with journalists in Gaza and around the world who risk their lives to report the truth. We further call on Israel to lift its restrictions on international media access to Gaza, which have severely hindered independent reporting and accountability. We reaffirm our commitment to defending freedom of expression and demand justice for those who have been killed.
