Blackout and Mass Death: UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Press Freedom in Gaza

A new, alarming statement from the UN Office for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories paints a grim picture of the situation in Gaza.

The statement, released on May 19, 2025, accuses the Israeli government of systematically targeting Palestinian journalists and deliberately obstructing free press access to the conflict area.

According to the UN, 214 Palestinian journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023, including 29 women. In just the two days leading up to May 19, five journalists were killed, including one woman.

The UN describes this blackout as part of a targeted strategy: “The apparent targeting of Palestinian journalists in Gaza, combined with Israel’s denial of access to foreign journalists — except for a few who were under IDF control — seems to indicate a deliberate attempt to restrict the flow of information to and from Gaza,” the statement says.

Systematic Destruction and Escalating Death Toll

The press blackout does not stand alone. The UN simultaneously documents an escalation in Israeli attacks on internally displaced persons and civilian residential areas. On the night of May 17-18, at least 96 Palestinians were killed, many in tent camps. In Al Mawasi alone, an area previously designated by Israel as a “humanitarian zone,” 36 people were killed, including several families where both parents and children perished.

The UN expresses grave concern over the pattern of attacks, which often hit hospitals, apartment blocks, and tent camps for displaced people. The report also notes the use of weapons with a wide impact, suggesting “deliberate, indiscriminate shelling of civilians.”

Extermination through Starvation and Displacement

In addition to the direct military losses, the UN reports an escalating humanitarian crisis. For three months, Israel has reportedly blocked essential supplies from reaching the civilian population.

Meanwhile, mass displacement continues: in just 24 hours, approximately 150,000 people have been forced to flee without any safe destination.

The UN asserts that the current conditions in Gaza are “intolerable” and calls for an “immediate and effective ceasefire.”

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