Gaza War claims journalists have lived more lives than all the major conflicts of the last century

According to the latest data from the conflict zone news report, the ongoing war in Gaza has become the deadliest conflict in modern history, claiming that media workers have lived more than all major wars in the past.

Since October 7, 2023, the death toll of journalists and media workers in Gaza has exceeded 220, surpassing the combined journalist casualties of the American Civil War, the two world wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War (including Cambodia and Laos), the Yuguslav War and the 20 Years’ War in Afghanistan.

This unprecedented level of danger to the press has turned Gaza into what media freedom advocates call a “news cemetery” – a conflict zone where reliable information is barely accessible due to systematic elimination of people reporting from the ground.

The increasing global trend to threats to journalists shows that the acceleration is shocking. In 2023, a journalist or media worker died every four days worldwide. The grim statistics worsened in 2024, with deaths occurring approximately every three days.

Most of the casualties were local journalists who were in extraordinary dangers when trying to document conflicts in their communities. These journalists often lack the institutional support and protection resources available to international correspondents from major news organizations.

The journalist’s goals not only represent a personal tragedy, but also constitute a strategic attack on the information itself. When journalists are killed or forced to flee, their absence creates an information vacuum that combatants can use to control the narrative and avoid liability for potential violations of international law.

The crisis has fallen even more as many media organizations shut down foreign agencies and shifted priorities as priorities in the news industry have shifted priorities, and as many media organizations shut down foreign bureaus and lowered their corresponding positions. The resulting conflict gap further undermines the world’s ability to understand and respond to evolving humanitarian disasters.

An analysis of the situation states: “Reliable information about war and conflict is crucial to the well-being of the local population and is necessary to inspire the forces behind the war and the losses caused to civilians.”

Multiple actors are responsible for this dangerous landscape. Governments including Israel, Syria’s Assad regime, and non-state groups such as the ISIS have contributed to journalism casualties through various means – from repressive policies to direct armed attacks.

Together, these actions fostered press freedom organizations as a “culture of impunity”, and further attacks on the press were also exciting for those who killed journalists with little consequences.

The comparison between Gaza and previous conflicts is particularly evident when examining historical data. Previous major clashes have caused journalists to die from unit numbers in the American Civil War to around 70-80 in the era of World War II and Vietnam War. Even in the 20-year Afghan conflict that was previously considered particularly dangerous to journalists, the number of casualties among journalists was less than six months old than Gaza.

With the rising death toll, the implications far exceed the press. When journalists cannot work safely, civilian suffering is often undocumented, war crimes may not be investigated, and the international community will lose the important insights needed to effectively respond to the humanitarian crisis.

The current situation poses an urgent challenge for press freedom advocates, international organizations and governments, a situation committed to protecting the important functions of journalism in conflict areas. Without immediate action to reverse this trend, more conflicts could become “news cemeteries” that would make the world increasingly blind to the reality of war and its victims.