Probe highlights 'attack on press freedom' in Gaza war

A collaborative investigation by international media outlets on Tuesday shed light on the circumstances behind more than 100 Palestinian journalists and media workers being killed in the Gaza war, some while wearing a press vest.

A consortium led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories and involving around 50 journalists from 13 organisations including AFP, The Guardian and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism group (ARIJ) took part in the four-month probe.

It looked into strikes involving journalists and media infrastructure since Israel launched a devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas carrying out an unprecedented attack in Israel on Oct. 7.

"More than 100 journalists and media workers have been killed," Forbidden Stories' Laurent Richard said in an editorial accompanying the Gaza Project's publication.

"Today's Gaza journalists have long known that their 'press' vests do not protect them," he wrote.

"Worse still, the protective gear might further expose them."

Carlos Martinez de la Serna, of the Committee to Protect Journalists, expressed shock at the toll.

"This is one of the most flagrant attacks on press freedom that I remember," he told the investigation.

The Israeli military said it "does not intentionally harm journalists, and that journalists may have been harmed during air strikes or operational activities aimed at military targets".

"Many of the cases mentioned in the report are actually cases of militants who were killed during military activity, but reported as journalists," it added.

  'Supposed to identify and protect us' 

The probe found that four journalists were allegedly killed or wounded...