Palestinian Journalists' Protection Center Condemns Targeted Killing of Journalist Hassan Majdi Abu Warda in Gaza

Gaza City, June 11, 2025 — The Palestinian Journalists' Protection Center (PJPC) has issued a powerful condemnation following the assassination of journalist Hassan Majdi Abu Warda, director of the local media agency Barq Gaza. Abu Warda and several members of his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike that directly targeted their home in the northern Gaza Strip.

The attack is the latest in a rising wave of violence against media professionals amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the region. In an official statement, PJPC described the incident as a deliberate act of aggression and called for an urgent international investigation.

“This is not an isolated event,” the organization asserted, “but part of a systematic policy by the Israeli occupation forces to silence Palestinian voices, suppress freedom of expression, and erase the Palestinian narrative.” Since the beginning of Israel’s military aggression on Gaza, dozens of Palestinian journalists have been killed, injured, or detained, according to local human rights organizations.

The targeting of media professionals has sparked global concern, with advocacy groups warning that such acts are designed to prevent independent documentation of events unfolding on the ground. The PJPC emphasized that the assassination of Abu Warda constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“We demand immediate accountability and the enforcement of international legal protections for journalists operating in conflict zones,” the statement continued. The organization also urged the international community, including the United Nations and global media watchdogs, to take concrete actions to protect journalists and prevent further escalation.

“Words of condemnation are not enough. There must be legal, political, and diplomatic consequences for the targeting of journalists,” the PJPC stated.

The killing of Hassan Majdi Abu Warda adds to a growing list of Palestinian journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty, many of whom were documenting the suffering of civilians under siege. His death underscores the urgent need for international mechanisms to hold aggressors accountable and ensure that journalists can operate safely in war zones.