UNESCO announced on Thursday that it had awarded its prestigious World Press Freedom Prize to Palestinian journalists who have been diligently covering the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Israel has been engaged in battle against Hamas for over six months.
Mauricio Weibel, the chair of the international jury comprising media professionals, expressed solidarity and recognition for the Palestinian journalists working under extremely challenging conditions.
He emphasized the debt owed to these journalists for their courage and unwavering commitment to freedom of expression amidst the darkness and despair of the crisis.
Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, highlighted the significance of the prize as a tribute to the bravery of journalists who continue to report under difficult and dangerous circumstances.
The recognition comes at a time when press freedom is under threat in many parts of the world, making it all the more crucial to honor those who risk their lives to ensure the public’s right to information.
According to data from the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 97 journalists have lost their lives since the outbreak of the war in October, with 92 of them being Palestinians.
The conflict erupted with an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, resulting in the tragic deaths of 1,170 people, the majority of whom were civilians, according to figures compiled by AFP from Israeli official sources.
