When journalists become targets and access is denied, the world loses more than lives — it loses its conscience.
By Dr Mohd Safar Hasim
“The first casualty when war comes is truth.” These words, spoken by U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson in 1917, echo with haunting relevance today. In an age of instant information, the deliberate silencing of those who seek to uncover the truth is not just a tragedy — it is a global emergency.
Over the past decade, journalists have faced unprecedented violence, and nowhere is this crisis more visible than in Gaza, where the war on truth has reached catastrophic proportions.
A Decade of Deadly Silence
In the last 10 years, more than 1,600 journalists have been killed worldwide. UNESCO estimates over 1,700 deaths since 2006, with 85% of cases unresolved. These are not mere numbers — they represent lives lost for daring to ask questions, expose corruption, and document atrocities.
Conflict zones dominate the casualty lists: Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. In Latin America, Mexico has become a killing ground for reporters investigating organised crime. The perpetrators vary — state forces, militias, drug cartels, extremist groups—but their intent is chillingly consistent: to silence voices that challenge power.
Why Journalists Are Targeted
Journalists die for one reason above all: accountability. In war zones, some deaths occur in crossfire.
Yet many are deliberate assassinations — punishment for uncovering corruption, human rights abuses, or criminal networks. Authoritarian regimes, fearing dissent, resort to intimidation, imprisonment, and murder to maintain control over narratives.
Impunity fuels this cycle. When killers walk free, it sends a message that truth-telling is a crime punishable by death. The chilling effect is profound: fear replaces courage, and silence becomes survival.
Gaza: The Deadliest Conflict for Journalists
The Israel-Gaza war has shattered all previous records for journalist fatalities. Since October 2023, over 220 journalists have been killed, most of them Palestinians. Some estimates put the toll at more than 260 media workers in two years, surpassing journalist deaths in both World Wars combined.
This is not just a statistic — it is a humanitarian and press freedom catastrophe.
Journalists in Gaza work under unimaginable conditions: no safe corridors, scarce protective gear, and constant bombardment. Reports from press freedom groups suggest systematic targeting, raising grave concerns about violations of international law.
The Ban on Foreign Journalists
Adding insult to injury, Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza independently.
Officially, the ban is justified on grounds of security and operational secrecy. Critics argue it is an attempt to control the narrative and prevent scrutiny of military actions and humanitarian conditions. Access is limited to tightly controlled “embed” tours with the Israeli military — hardly conducive to independent reporting.
This restriction undermines the essence of journalism: bearing witness. When foreign correspondents are excluded, the world relies almost entirely on local journalists — who are themselves under siege. The result is a distorted information ecosystem where propaganda thrives, and truth becomes a casualty of war.
The Broader Implications
The killing of journalists and suppression of media access strike at the heart of democratic societies.
A free press is the cornerstone of accountability. When journalists are silenced — whether by bullets or bureaucratic barriers — the powerful act with impunity, and the public remains in darkness.
The ripple effect is global. It deters investigative reporting, emboldens corrupt actors, and erodes public trust. In the long run, the absence of independent journalism fosters authoritarianism, polarisation, and misinformation—threats that transcend borders.
What Must Be Done
The international community cannot afford complacency. Several urgent steps are needed:
* End Impunity: Governments must investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists.
* Protect Journalists in Conflict Zones: Safe corridors, protective equipment, and adherence to international humanitarian law are essential.
* Lift Access Restrictions: Denying entry to foreign journalists in Gaza or elsewhere is an affront to press freedom.
* Strengthen Global Mechanisms: Bodies like the UN should enforce sanctions against states and groups that target journalists.
The war on journalists is, ultimately, a war on truth. Every reporter killed, every voice silenced, chips away at the foundations of free societies. Gaza stands as a grim reminder of what happens when the press becomes a target and access to information is strangled.
If the world fails to act, the cost will not only be measured in lives lost but in the erosion of liberty itself.
The views expressed here are entirely those of Dr Mohd Safar Hasim, a Council Member of the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI)
WE