Freedom of expression has faced unprecedented threats in Gaza, with journalists in the war-torn region targeted, and supporters of the Palestinian cause subjected to repression worldwide, according to a United Nations expert on Friday.
Irene Khan, the U.N. independent investigator for the right to freedom of opinion and expression, pointed to multiple attacks on media professionals and the targeted killings and arbitrary detentions of dozens of journalists in Gaza. She expressed concern over the restrictions placed on critical journalism, noting actions such as the banning of Al Jazeera and heightened censorship within Israel and the occupied territories.
“These moves seem to reflect an Israeli strategy to silence critical journalism and obstruct the documentation of potential international crimes,” Khan said in a statement.
Khan also condemned what she described as “discrimination and double standards,” highlighting the suppression of pro-Palestinian protests and speech globally. She referenced bans on such activities in countries like Germany and the U.S., where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been harshly repressed, and the criminalization of Palestinian national symbols in some nations.
She further criticized the silencing of dissenting voices in academia and the arts, noting that some of the world’s leading academic institutions have failed to protect the rights of their diverse members, whether Jewish, Palestinian, Israeli, Arab, or Muslim.
While acknowledging that social media platforms have provided a vital means of communication for those in Gaza, Khan warned of the growing tide of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech online, affecting Arabs, Jews, Israelis, and Palestinians alike.
Khan stressed that Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories are legitimate subjects for global scrutiny and public discourse.
In a previous report to the U.N. General Assembly’s human rights committee, Khan highlighted the global crisis of freedom of expression stemming from the Gaza conflict. She explained that Israel responded by outlining its laws and taking the position that the conflict in Gaza was not of global significance, questioning the relevance of her mandate.
The escalation of violence in Gaza began with Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and resulting in the capture of around 250 hostages, 100 of whom remain unaccounted for. In response, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have claimed over 42,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, though the numbers do not differentiate between combatants and civilians, with the majority reported as women and children.
Khan, a former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, emphasized that the Gaza conflict has posed the greatest threat to freedom of expression in recent history, both within the region and globally. She warned that attacks on the media directly affect the global right to information.
She also called on the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to implement stronger protections for journalists, recognizing journalism as essential to humanitarian efforts.
Khan stressed that restrictions on international media access—particularly the Israeli ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza—must be addressed. “It is critical to clarify that denying access to international media is unacceptable,” she said.
Lastly, Khan questioned why nations that claim to support press freedom have remained silent in the face of severe attacks on journalists in Gaza and the West Bank. She warned that the international community’s indifference sends a dangerous message: that such actions will be tolerated globally, as long as they occur in Gaza, where Israel faces no accountability.
