The Government Media Office (GMO) of Gaza reported on Saturday that the number of journalist martyrs has risen to 189 due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

In a press release, the GMO stated that this increase follows the announcement of the martyrdom of journalist Wael Ibrahim Abu Quffa, a lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Media at the Islamic University, who also worked as a journalist for the Educational Quran Radio – Voice of the Islamic University.

The Office strongly condemned the targeting, killing, and assassination of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli occupation army, holding it fully responsible for committing this heinous crime.

The GMO urged the international community and global journalism organizations to take decisive action. It called for Israel to be held accountable in international courts for its alleged crimes against journalists and for pressure to be applied to stop the “genocidal war in Gaza”.

The targeting of journalists has drawn sharp criticism from media watchdogs and human rights organizations worldwide, with calls for investigations into violations of international law and the protection of media workers in conflict zones. (ILKHA)