Palestinian journalists and students face heavy casualties in Gaza and West Bank

Palestinian authorities and media organizations report significant casualties among journalists and students during three years of conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.

In Gaza, 263 media workers have been killed, according to Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate notes that over one-fifth of Gaza’s approximately 1,200 journalists have been killed, including 27 women. Additionally, around 500 journalists have been injured, and hundreds have been displaced or lost their homes. The International Federation of Journalists stated that the number of journalists killed in Gaza is the highest in the modern history of journalism. The conflict has also caused an estimated $1 billion in losses to the media sector, with over 80 percent of media institutions partially or fully destroyed.

Regarding the education sector, the Palestinian Ministry of Education reported that 20,748 students and 1,058 education and administrative workers have been killed in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, this includes 19,189 school students and 1,386 university students. In the West Bank, 134 school students and 39 university students were killed. The report also highlights thousands of injuries and hundreds of arrests of students and staff across both territories.