• A group of 17 U.S. Senators called for protection of journalists in Gaza.
• Recent Israeli military strikes resulted in the deaths of multiple journalists.
• The Senators urged the U.S. administration to demand accountability from Israel.

A coalition of 17 U.S. Senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz, expressed grave concerns over the killings of journalists in Gaza, urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to advocate for press freedoms and protections for media professionals in the region. Their letter follows a devastating Israeli strike that resulted in the deaths of Palestinian journalists, including prominent Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif, leading to international condemnation of these actions, according to HuffPost and AA.

The letter highlighted that since the beginning of the Israeli military offensive on Gaza, at least 238 journalists have been killed, raising serious legal and ethical questions about the targeting of media personnel. The Senators argued that without compelling evidence to support claims that journalists were affiliated with Hamas, such attacks appear to be deliberate attempts to silence reporting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as articulated by TRT Global and Al Jazeera.

In their communication, the Senators demanded that the Trump administration utilize its influence to ensure that Israel grants international media unrestricted access to Gaza. They emphasized that the continued censorship and targeting of journalists undermines U.S. credibility on the world stage. Additionally, they mentioned that Israel's military actions have not been accompanied by transparent accountability, which poses a serious threat to press freedom, as highlighted by HuffPost and AA.

The letter also called attention to Israel’s broader failings regarding press freedoms, noting instances of censorship not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria. It implored the State Department to take a stronger stance against these practices to uphold democratic values and promote accountability in international relations, according to TRT Global and Al Jazeera.