The International Commission “ICSPR” Strongly Condemns the Targeting of Media, Journalists, and Humanitarian Workers and Warns of the Collapse of the Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
Reference No.: 27 / 2025
Date: March 15, 2025
Press Release
The International Commission “ICSPR” Strongly Condemns the Targeting of Media, Journalists, and Humanitarian Workers and Warns of the Collapse of the Ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the horrific massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces this afternoon in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing of nine civilians, including two journalists and five humanitarian workers. This constitutes a new war crime and a blatant, repeated violation of international humanitarian law and the ceasefire agreement. Since the ceasefire took effect on January 17, 2025, Israeli occupation crimes in the Gaza Strip have resulted in 159 martyrs and over 600 wounded. This raises the total number of martyrs since the beginning of the genocide to 65,000, including 208 journalists, with nearly 112,000 injured.
ICSPR warns of the imminent collapse of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip due to the continued inability and reluctance of the international community to stop Israeli occupation crimes and its repeated breaches of the ceasefire agreement. The commission urges mediators, guarantors of the agreement, and the international community to take serious action to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire, reopen border crossings that have been closed for 14 days, and guarantee the flow of humanitarian and medical aid and all essential needs to Gaza’s population. The people of Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe marked by famine, thirst, disease outbreaks, suffering, and severe shortages in healthcare and essential services caused by the Israeli aggression, collective punishment, and genocide.
ICSPR strongly condemns the U.S. and European decision to ban Al-Aqsa TV from broadcasting and prevent its presence on satellite networks. This decision is a flagrant violation of freedom of expression and press freedoms enshrined in international law and human rights treaties. It represents an unacceptable double standard aimed at silencing voices, blocking media coverage, and suppressing Palestinian narratives. ICSPR calls on the international community, the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League, and both the International and Arab Federations of Journalists to denounce this decision and take action at all levels to reverse it, ensuring the continued operation of the channel and the protection of Palestinian journalists and media outlets.
ICSPR also strongly condemns the escalating U.S. violations against students at Columbia University and other American universities, which have included the arrests of dozens of Palestinian and American students expressing solidarity with Palestinian rights and opposing genocide and the Israeli aggression on Gaza. Furthermore, ICSPR denounces the U.S. administration’s threats to cut federal funding to universities and its other violations of academic freedoms. These include the arrest of Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil and the issuance of deportation orders against him and Palestinian student Liqa Kurdieh, in clear violation of international human rights standards and the U.S. Constitution. These actions reflect a blatant submission to Zionist lobbying efforts in the United States, aimed at suppressing student and public solidarity movements supporting Palestinian rights.
ICSPR further condemns the Israeli occupation’s collective punishments and new restrictions on international humanitarian organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. These measures are designed to obstruct humanitarian relief efforts and include denying visas and registrations to non-governmental organizations that provide aid to Palestinians, criticize Israeli violations, or support Palestinian resilience and accountability efforts. Additionally, Israeli authorities are now demanding lists of Palestinian employees within these organizations for security vetting, alongside imposing further restrictions on their operations—violating international human rights norms that guarantee freedom of association and breaching international humanitarian law, which obligates the occupying power to facilitate humanitarian work. These restrictions significantly hinder the operations of over 180 international NGOs providing humanitarian aid, relief efforts, and support for children, women, people with disabilities, and other victims of Israeli occupation crimes.
ICSPR welcomes the recent report issued by the Permanent Fact-Finding Commission, which confirms that Israel has committed genocide, deliberately targeted Palestinian reproductive health to reduce birth rates, destroyed healthcare facilities, perpetrated sexual violence including rape, and brutalized Palestinian prisoners and detainees. ICSPR values all Arab and international efforts aimed at ending Israeli aggression, providing humanitarian aid, and supporting Palestinian rights. The commission also expresses its solidarity with students in the United States and humanitarian organizations and calls on the United Nations, third-party states, international organizations, and all free people worldwide to continue their diplomatic, grassroots, media, and human rights efforts to pressure Israel to cease its crimes in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Additionally, ICSPR calls for strengthening boycotts, imposing sanctions on Israel, and prosecuting its leaders and accomplices before international courts to prevent the entrenchment of lawlessness and crimes against humanity.
