'Protected Persons'    لصحفيون المقتولون

"The apparent targeting of Palestinian journalists in Gaza, combined with the denial by Israel of access of foreign journalists to Gaza for over 24 months, except a few visits controlled by IDF, appear to indicate a deliberate attempt by Israel to limit the flow of information to and from Gaza and prevent reporting on the impact of its attacks and denial of humanitarian assistance. Directing attacks against protected persons such as journalists is a violation of international humanitarian law and also constitutes a war crime." [UNHRO]  (as with medical personnel and other civilians)

*to see what actions constitute a 'war crime' prosecutable under the Hague, see bottom of page.
As of November 10, 2025, at least 286 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), with the majority of these deaths attributed to Israeli military actions.[ref]
The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate reported that 44 of these journalists were killed in displacement tents, highlighting a systematic campaign targeting media personnel in civilian shelters, including near hospitals and United Nations facilities.[ref]
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented 210 journalist deaths since 7 October 2023 while the UN human rights office reported 247, indicating significant discrepancies in tallies due to differing verification methods.[a] [b}  The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) holds a database of all names, organisations and dates, with linked name to a profile page description and social media links of each Journalist with photo where available/permitted.
In addition to this database there are also additional reports from the Gaza Health Ministry, UNOCHA and others indicate that over 1,500 health workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.  UNOCHA have provided a fortnightly factsheet with specific details.  These deaths are confirmed and include those in detention, MSF personnel, 15 Emergency Workers, MAP personnel. It should be noted that when under criticism, Israel re-cycles familiar explanations such as 'they were Hamas' but over time, and often with no supporting evidence, these sound little more than unimaginative excuses.  Some like the 'Hamas Camera' explanation for bombing journalists and medical staff in a hospital don't stand scrutiny. *ie the camera with a rug over it given in photos, was not actually in place on the day of the bombing.
Additionally at least 408 humanitarian aid workers killed overall, including 280 UNRWA staff and 34 PRCS personnel.
Just since October 7th 2023, over 70,000 named and identified individuals have been killed by Israel. with around 60,000 being non-combatants, Civilians. With many more unidentifiable or buried under the rubble.  This is just in Gaza. Sadly this death and injury toll grows every day within the 'ceasefire'.  May God have forgiveness and mercy on all those souls.

What War Crimes Can Be Prosecuted?

"One of the primary tenets of International Humanitarian Law is the rule of distinction:  ‘Distinction’ demands that belligerents and fighters at all times distinguish between civilians and civilian objects on one hand, and combatants and military objectives on the other hand*, so as to protect persons not taking part in the conflict."[a] Arguably the 2023-25 offensive by Israel against Hamas was entirely one sided except for a moderately small number of rockets fired by Hamas. It was a 100,000 tonne bombing offensive that levelled over 83% of Gaza. It will take about $70 billion to rebuild Gaza, according to an operational damage and needs assessment conducted jointly by the United Nations, the European Union and the World Bank.  *the civilians must not be colluding as human shields with the combatants. [law]
  • Armed attacks against unarmed civilians.
  • Attacks on civilian objects (houses, infrastructure, hospitals, water, electrics, communications, anything essential to the populations survival, crops, farms,)
  • use of chemical or biological weapons, anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions. Due to risk of disproportionate harm.
  • indiscriminate methods of warfare such as area bombardment, through air strikes and ground shelling. (Any attack not launched at a specific military objective, anything lacking precision. 
  • Lack of 'proportionality' in military vrs civilian deaths (eg no clear achieved target of military numbers, yet notable civilian deaths.)
  • Launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated;
  •  launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated;
  • outrages upon personal dignity  including humiliating or degrading treatment and desecration of the dead (grave yards dug up)
  • torture or inhuman treatment (including organ harvesting)
  • wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health
  • unlawfully deporting or transferring persons or unlawfully confining them. Lack of or unfair trials.
  • taking hostages
  • transferring parts of a occupying power’s civilian population into occupied territory
  • directing attacks against religious, educational, charitable buildings, historic monuments, hospitals 'unless they are military objectives'. 
  • Employing methods of warfare that cause widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the natural environment (Ecocide)
  • Sexual violence, including rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy or sterilization constitute war crimes when part of a systematic attack.
  • Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of food and other essentials indispensable to survival.
  • persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds in execution of or in connection with any other crime against humanity (Such as being Muslim)
  • declaring that no quarter will be given (all will die)
  • pillage or other taking of property
  • Destroying property not required by military necessity.
  • Collective Punishment
  • ordering the displacement of the civilian population for reasons related to the conflict and not required for the security of the civilians involved or imperative military necessity. (ethnic cleansing)
  •  making persons or objects involved in a humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations the object of attack, as long as they are not also military operatives.
  • Attacking or killing those who have surrendered. 
  • The concept of war crimes emphasizes individual accountability, meaning that individuals, including military commanders and political leaders, can be held criminally responsible for their actions during conflict.