The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said on August 4 that it recorded 108 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against journalists, reporters, and media workers in the West Bank during July.
The syndicate's Press Freedom Committee detailed violations including detention, beatings, interrogation, obstruction of work, and confiscation or destruction of equipment. The committee said such conditions are making it increasingly difficult for journalists to document Israeli military raids and settler violence on the ground.
Among the recorded incidents, short-term detention and restrictions on reporting were the most common violations, with 58 cases. The committee also documented 11 instances of settler attacks on journalists, including assault, shoving, and threats, mostly occurring when reporters were covering conflict hotspots. Additionally, Israeli forces fired stun grenades or tear gas at journalists in 12 cases, leaving some with breathing difficulties.
Six journalists were beaten, and four suffered bleeding injuries, including one from shrapnel, while reporting on developments in Gaza. Two others were detained, and four were interrogated about their work. The committee also recorded four raids on homes or media offices, including the closure of one press outlet; three cases of equipment confiscation or destruction; two instances of footage deletion; and two cases of journalists being expelled from areas near Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The syndicate called for conditions allowing journalists to work “without threats, attacks, or persecution” and demanded accountability for those responsible.
The July figures continue to push journalist casualties to what is considered historic highs. Human rights groups have recorded more than 270 journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 2023, alongside a broad campaign of journalist arrests. Al Jazeera alone confirmed that 12 of its reporters have been killed in Gaza since Israel's military operation began, a higher number than any other outlet.
