The free press is not the enemy of the people, but the guardian of democracy. When journalists are targeted, the truth is the first casualty.

After enduring sniper fire, besiegement, and the weight of a war that spared no one, he refused to give up his mission of exposing the truth. But on December 14, 2024, as he returned home on crutches from a medical checkup, an Israeli drone ended his life. His murder is not just a tragedy, it is a deliberate attack on those who dare to document genocide. Today, we grieve not only the loss of a remarkable man but the silencing of a voice that fought to keep Gaza’s truth alive. 

Mohammed Balousha, a reporter for Al Mashhad TV, survived death after uncovering the grim aftermath of Israeli military attacks. When he exposed the heartbreaking scene of abandoned premature babies in northern Gaza, he became a marked target for Israeli snipers and endured being besieged for a month. Despite the dangers, Balousha’s dedication to reporting the human toll of the Genocide has made him a symbol of resilience amidst ongoing violence and censorship.

Since October 2023, Israeli occupation attacks in Gaza have killed at least 135 journalists. Most of these deaths were caused by targeted drone strikes that tracked the journalists' cellphone signals, making it clear that these were not accidental casualties. These deliberate attacks on the press serve to silence those documenting the brutal reality of life under siege in Gaza, further deepening the humanitarian crisis and obstructing the global awareness of the atrocities being committed.

On the two-year anniversary of the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh, we are forced to confront the grim reality of impunity surrounding Israeli attacks on journalists.

Shireen, a renowned Palestinian-American journalist, became the 55th journalist killed by Israeli forces at the time of her death, tragically shot while covering a military raid in Jenin, in a deliberate attack that shocked the world. How long can Israel target Journalists with no consequences.