The League of Arab States marks the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Media annually on 11 May, in accordance with Resolution 508 adopted by the Council of Arab Information Ministers on 22 September 2022.
His Excellency Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Media and Communication Sector, said that this observance transcends mere symbolism. It constitutes a renewed and urgent appeal to the international community to extend tangible support to Palestinian media institutions, in light of the egregious violations and systemic suppression of press freedoms perpetrated by the Israeli occupation authorities. These transgressions have reached a devastating peak amid the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip, wherein journalists—like countless unarmed civilians—have been deliberately targeted while discharging their professional duties under dire humanitarian and security conditions marked by relentless bombardment, blockade, and deprivation.
Ambassador Khattabi reaffirmed the League's unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian media sector amidst the continuing onslaught on Gaza and the entirety of the occupied Palestinian territories. He noted that, as of the end of April 2025, 212 journalists have lost their lives, while at least 400 others have sustained injuries, rendering the Gaza Strip the most perilous environment for journalism globally.
He further condemned the persistent obstruction by the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian media's work in all its facets, as well as the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law—particularly Article 79 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions—which mandates the protection and safety of journalists during armed conflict. Ambassador Khattabi underscored the imperative of enforcing these protections in accordance with internationally recognised professional and ethical standards, and within the framework of binding legal instruments, notably the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
