New York, February 29, 2024—Leaders of more than 100 news organizations across the world, including the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters, have joined an open letter (full text below) affirming their solidarity with journalists reporting in Gaza.

The letter, coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the support of the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), demonstrates strong and unified support for colleagues reporting from Gaza in the deadliest conflict for journalists ever documented by CPJ.

“For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions,” the letter reads. “…These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk.”

The letter goes on to remind the international community that journalists are civilians and authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law. 

A total of at least 95 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Gaza war; the majority of them (90) were Palestinians killed by the Israeli military.  

The signatories include outlets from Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, India, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

About the Committee to Protect Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

Read the full letter below

Open letter on journalists in Gaza 

We, the undersigned, stand united with Palestinian journalists in their call for safety, protection, and the freedom to report.

For nearly five months, journalists and media workers in Gaza – overwhelmingly, the sole source of on-the-ground reporting from within the Palestinian territory – have been working in unprecedented conditions: at least 89 have been killed in the war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more journalists than have ever been killed in a single country over an entire year.

These journalists – on whom the international news media and the international community rely  for information about the situation inside Gaza – continue to report despite grave personal risk. They continue despite the loss of family, friends, and colleagues, the destruction of homes and offices, constant displacement, communications blackouts, and shortages of food and fuel.  

Journalists are civilians and Israeli authorities must protect journalists as noncombatants according to international law. Those responsible for any violations of that longstanding protection should be held accountable. Attacks on journalists are also attacks on truth. We commit to championing the safety of journalists in Gaza, which is fundamental for the protection of press freedom everywhere.

Signatories 

1. Kim Godwin, President, ABC NEWS
2. Phil Chetwynd, Global News Director, Agence France-Presse
3. Hossam Kanafani, Editor-in-Chief, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed
4. Sami Al-Haj, Director, Al Jazeera Center for Public Liberties and Human Rights, Al Jazeera Media Network
5. Sasmito, President, Alliance of Independent Journalists, Indonesia
6. Nora Younis, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Al-Manassa, Egypt
7. Alaa al Ghatrevy, Editor-in-Chief, Al Masry Al Youm, Egypt
8. Elsy Moufarrej, Coordinator, Alternative Press Syndicate, Lebanon
9. Ghassan Hajjar, Managing Editor, An-Nahar, Lebanon
10. Rawan Damen, Director General, ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism)
11. Stefano Corradino, Director, Articolo21, Italy
12. Shiro Nakamura, President, The Asahi Shimbun, Japan
13. Nicole Dungca, President, Asian American Journalists Association, United States
14. Julie Pace, Executive Editor, Associated Press
15. Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive, Association for International Broadcasting
16. Nancy Prager-Kamel, Chairperson, Association of Foreign Press Correspondents, United States 
17. Mohamed Shoair, Editor in Chief, Bab Masr website (Wlad al Balad Institution), Egypt
18. Sam Jahan, Convener, Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media
19. Deborah Turness, CEO, BBC News
20. Hikmet Adal, Editor, Bianet, Turkey
21. Ronalyn V. Olea, Editor-in-Chief, Bulatlat, Philippines
22. Rozina Breen, Editor in Chief and CEO, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
23. Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, President, CBS News 
24. Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide
25. Daoud Kuttab, Director General, Community Media Network, Jordan
26. Carlos Eduardo Huertas, Founder and Director, CONNECTAS
27. Branko Brkic, Editor-in-Chief, Daily Maverick, South Africa
28. Alia Ibrahim, Co-founder and CEO, Daraj, Lebanon
29. Jakub Patočka, Editor-in-Chief, Denik Referendum
30. Dirk Kurbjuweit, Editor-in-Chief, Der Spiegel, Germany
31. Barbara Junge, Editor-in-Chief, Die Tageszeitung, Germany
32. Ulrike Winkelmann, Editor-in-Chief, Die Tageszeitung, Germany
33. Khaled Elbalshy, President, Egyptian Journalists Syndicate 
34. Mohamed Saad Abdel Hafiz, Egyptian Journalists Syndicate / Managing Editor, Al-Shorouk, Egypt
35. Carlos Dada, Director, El Faro
36. Jazmín Acuña, Editor in Chief, El Surtidor, Paraguay
37. Ricardo Gutiérrez, General Secretary, European Federation of Journalists
38. Patrick Mayoyo, Director Editorial Innovations, Eyewitness Africa, Kenya
39. Roula Khalaf, Editor, Financial Times, UK
40. Laurent Richard, Founder and Executive Director, Forbidden Stories, France
41. Giuseppe Di Maula, Editor-in-Chief, FotosIntensi, Italy
42. Laurie Hays, Editor-in-Chief/CEO, The Fuller Project
43. Priti Patnaik, Founding Editor, Geneva Health Files, Switzerland
44. Emilia Díaz-Struck, Executive Director, Global Investigative Journalism Network
45. Andrea Crossan, Executive Director, Global Reporting Centre
46. Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief, The Guardian, UK
47. Julia Montfort, Editor-in-Chief, Guiti News, France
48. Aluf Benn, Editor in Chief, Haaretz
49. Marc Saikali, Chairperson, Ici Beyrouth and This is Beirut, Lebanon
50. Geordie Grieg, Editor in Chief, The Independent, UK
51. Elena Cosentino, Director, International News Safety Institute, UK
52. Frane Maroević, Executive Director, International Press Institute
53. Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director, International Women’s Media Foundation
54. Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, Chairperson, Inquirer Group of Companies, Philippines
55. Deirdre Veldon, Managing Director, The Irish Times, Ireland
56. Rachel Corp, Chief Executive, ITN, UK
57. Andrew Dagnell, Editor, ITV News, UK
58. Patrick Michel, Editor in Chief, Le Mauricien, Mauritius
59. Amir Rotem, Editor-in-Chief, Local Call
60. Terry Tang, Interim Executive Editor, Los Angeles Times
61. RK Anand, Executive Editor, Malaysiakini, Malaysia
62. Mohammed Al-Fazari, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Muwatin Media Network  
63. Pamella Sittoni, Group Managing Editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya
64. Yvette Cabrera, President, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, United States 
65. Rebecca Blumenstein, President, Editorial, NBC News
66. Emily Wilkins, President, National Press Club, United States
67. Edith Chapin, SVP and Editor-in-Chief, NPR, United States
68. Rameeza Nizami, Managing Director, Nawaiwaqt Group, Pakistan
69. Ebele Okobi, CEO, The New Humanitarian
70. David Remnick, Editor, The New Yorker 
71. AG Sulzberger, Publisher, The New York Times 
72. Coizta Grecko B, Director, Ojos de Perro vs. la Impunidad, Mexico
73. Maha Al Bahnasawi, Managing Director, ONA Media Services, Egypt
74. Martha Ramos, President, World Editors Forum / Chief Editorial Officer, Organización Editorial Mexicana, Mexico
75. Miranda Patrucic, Editor-in-Chief, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
76. Amalie Kestler, Managing Editor in Chief, Politiken, Denmark
77. Hans Väre, Editor in Chief, Postimees Grupp, Estonia
78. Musikilu Mojeed, Chief Operating Officer/Editor-in-Chief, Premium Times, Nigeria
79. Alan Rusbridger, Editor, Prospect magazine, UK
80. Lara Bitar, Editor in Chief, The Public Source, Lebanon
81. Jon Sawyer, CEO & President, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
82. Ritu Kapur, CEO, The Quint, India
83. Marcela Turati, Co-Founder, Quinto Elemento Lab, Mexico
84. Maria Ressa, CEO and Co-Founder, Rappler, Philippines
85. Alessandra Galloni, Editor-in-Chief, Reuters, UK
86. Ayman Mhanna, Executive Director, Samir Kassir Foundation, Lebanon
87. Alejandro Páez Varela, CEO, SinEmbargo, Mexico
88. Kamal Siriwardana, Editor-in-Chief, SMN24Media, Sri Lanka
89. Maryan Seylac, Executive Director, Somali Media Women Association, Somalia
90. Nwabisa Makunga, Editor-in-Chief, The Sowetan, South Africa
91. Ramsey G. Tesdell, CEO, Sowt Media, Jordan
92. Esther Ng, Chief Content Officer, Star Media Group Berhad, Malaysia
93. Wolfgang Krach, Editor in Chief, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany
94. Wafaa Haidar, Director, Tele Liban, Lebanon 
95. Wahyu Dhyatmika, CEO, Tempo Digital, Indonesia 
96. Anne Marie Owens, Editor-in-Chief, Toronto Star, Canada
97. Lyas Hallas, Co-founder and CEO, Twala, Algeria
98. Fernando Belzunce, Editorial Director, Vocento, Spain
99. Assaad Maroun, Chairperson and General Manager, Voice of Lebanon
100. Sally Buzbee, Executive Editor, The Washington Post
101. Vincent Peyrègne, CEO, World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)
102. Ghousoon Bisharat, Editor-in-Chief, +972 Magazine