Pro-Palestinian activists gathered Monday evening in the US capital to honor the memory of journalists killed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip, condemning what they described as a deliberate campaign to silence the truth.

The demonstration was a powerful call to action against the ongoing targeting of journalists in Gaza, where the death toll among media workers has reached catastrophic levels amid Israel’s relentless military campaign.

The vigil was sparked by the killing of five journalists in an Israeli airstrike late Sunday, August 10, 2025, targeting a journalists’ tent near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Among the victims were Al Jazeera Arabic’s Gaza correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, alongside three other media workers. According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, this latest attack has raised the number of journalists killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023 to a staggering 238, making it one of the deadliest periods for journalists in modern history.

Protesters condemned the systematic targeting of journalists, accusing Israel of attempting to silence those documenting the atrocities in Gaza. “These are not random casualties; this is a deliberate effort to suppress the truth,” said vigil organizer Amina Hassan, holding a candlelit sign bearing the names of slain journalists. “The world must not look away from Israel’s war on the press and the Palestinian people.”

Israel’s military offensive, launched in October 2023, has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, with nearly half being women and children, according to Gaza’s health authorities. The campaign has reduced much of the enclave to rubble, displacing millions and pushing Gaza to the brink of famine. Despite international outcry and repeated calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations and human rights organizations, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan on Friday, August 8, 2025, to expand military operations and occupy Gaza City, raising fears of further ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Recent reports indicate that the targeting of journalists has intensified in 2025, with at least 15 media workers killed in Gaza since January alone, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The CPJ has called for independent investigations into these killings, labeling them potential war crimes. “Journalists are civilians, protected under international law. Their deaths demand accountability,” the CPJ stated in a recent report.

The Washington vigil saw protesters chanting for press freedom and an end to Israel’s occupation, while holding photos of slain journalists and banners reading “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.” Speakers criticized Western media outlets for what they described as biased coverage that downplays Palestinian suffering. “The media must do better to amplify the voices of those being erased in Gaza,” said activist Jamal Rashed. “These journalists died trying to tell the world the truth.”

As the vigil concluded, organizers vowed to continue their advocacy, calling for global solidarity with Palestinians and protection for journalists working in conflict zones. With Israel’s military operations showing no signs of abating, the international community faces growing pressure to intervene and halt the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (ILKHA)