Journalism has never been a more dangerous pursuit

"Before heading out on any assignment, Seham says she checks her planned routes against the latest incident updates. She avoids travelling alone whenever possible and always makes sure a relative knows her movements. The most dangerous areas in Gaza are near the yellow line, the demarcation since Israeli and Hamas-run areas established under a partially observed ceasefire last October."

Journalist deaths in 2025 reached the highest level ever recorded, with 129 reporter and media worker deaths and a growing threat of active targeting. Most deaths occurred in Gaza, the West Bank, southern Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran. Israeli forces were responsible for two-thirds of journalist killings worldwide in the previous year. A Gaza correspondent and her photojournalist sister were evacuated after 18 months of dangerous work, but the evacuation nearly failed due to blocked roads, rubble, and a gunfight that caused Red Cross escorts to call off the mission before resuming. Their cousin continued reporting and uses route checks against incident updates, avoids traveling alone, and shares movement plans with relatives. Danger in Gaza is concentrated near a demarcation line where troops frequently open fire and the danger zone is difficult to identify.

Read at www.theguardian.com