Dear Just,

I hope you’re well. As you know, we’ve been amplifying the critical importance of reporting from the ground in Gaza – elevating our own journalists’ voices and spotlighting the extreme risks that media workers are facing under the Israeli army’s lethal, months-long bombardment of Gaza. 

I'm writing with an update on our latest efforts to lift up the voices and experiences of journalists from Gaza. Just yesterday, we took part in the launch of "The Gaza Project," an urgent and unique collaborative investigation led by Forbidden Stories – whose mission is to continue the work of journalists who are killed on the job – and 50 journalists from 13 news organizations around the globe, including our team at Local Call and partners at +972 Magazine, The Guardian, Paper Trail Media, Le Monde, AFP, Radio France, ARIJ, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, ZDF and Tamedia-Group. 

This collaborative, multipart investigation presents new, compelling evidence that suggests what many suspect has been ongoing for months: the Israeli army has, in several cases, targeted clearly identified journalists in Gaza, killing many in the process.

The consortium meticulously reviewed nearly 100 cases of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza, supplemented by reports of those threatened, targeted or injured. The investigation incorporates testimonies from over 120 witnesses in Gaza and the West Bank and consultations with 25 experts in ballistics, weapons and audio analysis. Despite restrictions on foreign journalists' access to Gaza, the team utilized satellite imagery and preserved digital evidence in the process. 

The findings are striking and include:

• At least 14 journalists were wearing press vests at the time of their death or injury.

• At least 40 journalists were killed in their homes, contradicting claims that all were caught in the crossfire.

• 18 journalists were targeted by drones. 

From targeted drone strikes to the destruction of infrastructure known to host media outlets, our collaboration with The Gaza Project reveals incriminating evidence against the Israeli government and army, calling into question their denials about targeting the press since the war began. Our journalists are also playing a major part in investigating the policies and technologies the Israeli army uses that have led to the staggering death toll in Gaza and we contributed heavily to one of the Gaza Project’s stories: an investigation around precision drones targeting journalists, even if – and perhaps because – they were wearing press vests. One journalist targeted by a drone shared that “the protective vest itself has become a means to target you, more than a means to protect you.” 

We hope you’ll take the time to read the series of investigations produced by this collaboration. 

Finally, if you’re interested in hearing directly from Palestinian journalists about their experiences covering this deadly war from Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Cairo, we invite you to join an upcoming virtual briefing hosted by our partners at +972 Magazine on Thursday, June 27 at 12 pm EST/ 7 pm Jerusalem time. 

With resolve,

Guy Yadin Evron

Social Media Coordinator