Press Freedom in Palestine at Breaking Point, EFF Tells UN

Geneva, Switzerland — The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed an urgent submission to the United Nations detailing a catastrophic collapse of press freedom and free expression in the occupied Palestinian territories since October 2023. The submission highlights a sharp increase in journalist killings, widespread censorship, and deliberate destruction of media infrastructure, warning that these actions may constitute international crimes.

“The scale of attacks on Palestinian journalists is unprecedented in modern history,” said Katitza Rodriguez, EFF’s Director of International Affairs. “The world must act now to stop the systematic silencing of Palestinian voices.”

Background

The submission comes in response to a study announced by the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. The study focuses on the killings and assaults against Palestinian media workers, the demolition of media facilities in Gaza, and the production of narratives that may enable, justify, or incite international crimes.

Since October 7, 2023, the situation has deteriorated rapidly. The EFF’s detailed briefing notes a pre-existing regime of censorship and surveillance against Palestinians that has now intensified dramatically.

Key Concerns Raised by the EFF

• Government takedown requests — Israeli authorities have issued an unprecedented number of removal orders for Palestinian news sites, social media posts, and online commentaries, often without due process.
• Disinformation and content moderation — Tech platforms have been accused of disproportionately moderating or shadow-banning Palestinian content, while allowing hate speech and incitement against Palestinians to flourish.
• Attacks on internet infrastructure — Repeated military strikes have damaged telecommunications networks in Gaza, cutting entire communities off from the world and impeding the work of journalists.

“These are not random acts of war,” Rodriguez added. “They are coordinated efforts to silence the press and erase Palestinian digital presence.”

What This Means

Without immediate intervention, the deliberate digital isolation of the Palestinian people will continue to undermine fundamental human rights. The EFF argues that ending this isolation is critical to preserving the right to information, freedom of expression, and the ability to document human rights abuses.

The UN Special Rapporteur is expected to release findings later this year. The EFF’s submission serves as a stark warning that the international community must act decisively to protect journalists and media infrastructure in Palestine.

“If the world does not respond, it will be complicit in the erasure of Palestinian journalism,” Rodriguez concluded. “This is a test of global commitment to press freedom.”

Read the EFF’s full briefing here.