Press release
UNESCO Director-General condemns killing of journalists Saeed Al-Taweel, Mohammed Sobboh and Hisham Alnwajha in Palestine
I condemn the killing of journalists Saeed Al-Taweel, Mohammed Sobboh and Hisham Alnwajha and I request an independent investigation to determine the circumstances of this tragedy. Journalists covering conflict situations must be protected as civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 2222/2015 on the protection of journalists, media professional and associated personnel in situations of conflict.
Saeed Al-Taweel was editor-in-chief of Al-Khamsa news agency, Mohammed Sobboh was a photojournalist for Khabar news agency, while Hisham Alnwajha was a correspondent with the same news agency.
The three journalists were killed in an airstrike on Gaza on 10 October 2023. Reports indicate the three were covering the evacuation of a nearby residential building when the missile strike occurred.
UNESCO promotes the safety of journalists through global awareness-raising, capacity building and by coordinating the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
The original version of this text was published on 29 August 2023. This text was updated on 7 October 2024, following new information received from UNESCO's accredited partners regarding the circumstances.
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