BRUSSELS – Hundreds of journalists, media workers, and citizens gathered in Brussels this week to honor Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza and to demand an immediate end to what unions and advocates have called the “deliberate targeting” of the press.
The demonstration, organized by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), drew more than 400 people to Mont des Arts on August 26. Participants paid tribute to the 219 journalists who have lost their lives covering Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza and called for a ceasefire and unrestricted access for foreign reporters to enter the enclave.
“It was very important to set a sign of solidarity by all journalists here in Brussels, to say once again: stop the killing in Gaza,” said EFJ Director Renate Schroeder. “It is very difficult to think about Palestinian journalists who sacrifice their lives for the public’s right to know, to expose the massacre and the genocide we see. We are full of respect for them. Many of them are dying while simply doing their job.”
The IFJ has consistently condemned the killings as a form of “mediacide” a systematic attempt to silence independent reporting from Gaza. In its statement, the federation reiterated its demand that the international community exert pressure on Israel to end its attacks on the press.
Dominique Pradalié, President of the IFJ, emphasized that the loss of Palestinian journalists is not only a tragedy for their families but also a profound blow to press freedom worldwide. “Journalists in Gaza are giving their lives to keep the world informed. Their courage is extraordinary, and their sacrifice underscores why freedom of the press must never be negotiable. Silencing the media is silencing democracy itself,” she said.
The protest in Brussels was marked by somber moments of remembrance and collective calls for accountability. Attendees held up photographs of journalists killed in Gaza, underscoring the human toll of what unions describe as an unprecedented assault on media freedom in a conflict zone.
While the global media community has repeatedly urged protection for journalists in war zones, participants warned that the ongoing killings represent a dangerous precedent for international law and press safety standards.
“We thank all journalists who continue to report from Gaza despite unimaginable risks,” Schroeder added. “The world cannot turn away.”
The IFJ and EFJ vowed to continue mobilizing internationally, pressing governments, institutions, and the United Nations to ensure accountability for crimes against journalists and to safeguard the right to report freely.
📸 Special photo credit: Frédéric Moreau de Bellaing
