BRUSSELS — The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported on Tuesday that 104 journalists and media personnel have lost their lives in 2024, with over half of those fatalities occurring amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The organization noted that since the onset of hostilities on October 7, 2023, at least 138 individuals within the media have been killed, highlighting that 55 of these victims were Palestinian journalists in the current calendar year.

In addition to the alarming death toll, the IFJ underscored a significant uptick in the number of journalists imprisoned, which has surged to 520, a notable increase from the 427 reported last year.

“Such distressing statistics once again underscore the precariousness of press freedom and the often hazardous nature of journalism,” stated IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. He emphasized that these troubling circumstances emerge during a crucial period for global information dissemination.

“The demand for accurate and timely information is critical, especially as authoritarian regimes proliferate across the globe,” he added. Concerning the imprisonment of journalists, the organization revealed that China and Hong Kong collectively hold 135 journalists behind bars.

The IFJ anticipates that the number of fatalities may continue to rise as the year progresses, with current figures nearing the total of 129 journalist deaths recorded in 2023.