Ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of four photographers, three journalists, two actors, and a painter, while injuring ten others during the month of June 2025. Across the West Bank, the 1948 Territories, and Gaza, additional Israeli violations targeted 52 media professionals. In Lebanon, journalists faced mounting legal pressure – including threats, bans, and summonses – while in southern Syria, the Israeli army continued to detain and interrogate reporters. Syrian security forces also arrested one journalist and summoned another. Meanwhile, in Jordan, the Jordanian Press Association imposed restrictions on non-member journalists.

Below is a detailed summary of the violations monitored by the Samir Kassir Foundation’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom across Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Jordan.

In Lebanon, Minister of Information Paul Morcos ordered the suspension of an episode of With Walid Abboud on Télé Liban after Abboud criticized Iran and Hezbollah on a show he hosts on another, London-based, media outlet (06/18). Additionally, MTV reporter Antoine Saadeh was threatened and insulted while covering developments at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport (06/15). The Criminal Investigations Department summoned journalists Bechara Charbel and Carine Abdelnour for questioning over an article (06/27).

Banker Antoun Sehnaoui filed legal complaints against several media professionals and outlets, including Daisy Gedeon, host of the Real Talk podcast; Diana Moukalled, editor-in-chief of Daraj; Nizar Ghanem, research director at the Alternative Policy Institute; researcher Ralph Baydoun; Al Badil Media and Thawra TV websites (03/06); and the Sharika Walaken platform along with its editor, Hayat Mirshad (04/06). The complaints included charges of defamation, false reporting, and incitement related to their journalistic work.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed dozens of civilians in June, among them four photographers, three journalists, two actors, and a painter. The victims included: Palestine Today correspondent Suleiman Hajjaj, photographer Ismail Badah, Al-Araby TV videographer Ahmad Qalja (06/05), freelance photographers Mu’min Abu Al-Auf (06/09) and Amin Hamdan (06/22), freelance journalists Mahmoud Abu Shirbi (06/25) and Ismail Abu Hatab (06/30), comedians Mohammad Radwan (06/20) and Mahmoud Shurrab (06/21), and visual artist Amina Al-Salimi (06/30).

An Israeli airstrike also destroyed the home of freelance photographer Abdul-Rahim Khodor, killing his entire family (06/06).

Several media professionals were also wounded in Israeli attacks, including: Palestine Today correspondent Imad Daloul, Al-Araby reporter Islam Badr and photographer Imam Badr (06/05), freelance journalists Bashir Abu Al-Shaar (06/17) and Bayan Abu Sultan (06/30), Al-Arabiya correspondent Mohammad Hammou and cameraman Mamduh Al-Sayyid as well as Al-Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Ayman Al-Hissi (06/27), freelance photographers Mohammad Abu Urmana (06/09), and Mohammad Skeik (06/30)

In a separate incident, Israeli forces detained Al-Jazeera Mubasher journalist Omar Fayyad, Blast TV (France) correspondent Yannis Mohammad, and ten activists during a raid on the Madleen flotilla in international waters (06/09).

Furthermore, Israeli airstrikes disabled terrestrial internet service in northern and central Gaza, halting media operations for 11 consecutive days (06/10).

In the West Bank, Israeli forces fired live ammunition and tear gas at several journalists covering events on the ground. Those targeted included Al Jazeera’s Laith Jaaar and his colleague Fadi Yassin, Palestine TV’s Abdullah Sabra, and freelance journalist Mohammad Al-Sayeh (06/10); Saba Agency reporter Nasser Ashtieh and freelance journalist Jamal Al-Rayan (06/13, 06/30); and Palestine TV photographer Tareq Abu Zeid (06/30).

Israeli authorities also carried out a series of arrests. Freelance photographer Ahmed Al-Khateeb was detained on 06/23, followed by Ultra Palestine journalist Mujahed Bani Mufleh on 06/28. On 06/01, Al-Ghad TV reporter Raed Al-Sharif and photographer Jamil Salhab were detained, and on 06/02, Palestine TV correspondents Iyad Al-Hashlamoun and Aareen Al-Amleh, along with photographer Thaer Faqusa, were also arrested. On 06/21, Al-Fajr TV reporters Yazan Hamayil and Ro’a Al-Duraidi, and their photographer Mohammad Al-Far, were taken into custody. Additional detentions included Roya TV photographer Mahmud Ismail (06/29) and AFP contributor Mohammad Atiq, who also received death threats (06/27).

Israeli forces also raided Al-Jazeera’s office in Ramallah and ordered it shut down for 60 days under a military directive (06/07). Later in the month (06/26), they stormed the homes of Pal Post correspondent Mujahed Tabanja and freelance photographer Muath Amarna, interrogating both.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian intelligence services summoned investigative journalist Wafa Hassan Khasib for questioning regarding her work (06/01).

In the 1948 Territories, Israeli police and settlers assaulted several media professionals. Victims included Al-Ghad TV correspondent Arij Hakroush and photographer Alaa Al-Hayeh (06/13); Al-Arabiya TV correspondent Marwan Athamneh and photographer Ahmad Al-Sharif (06/14); as well as Al-Ghad’s Razi Tatoor and photographer Iyad Abu Shalbak (06/15). Cameras were seized and the journalists were subjected to questioning.

Numerous additional journalists faced harassment and obstruction while reporting. These included: Al-Araby TV correspondent Ahmed Darawsheh and videographer Ali Diwani (06/09), SKeyes and Al-Jarmaq correspondent Nejma Hijazi (06/12), Al-Arabiya’s Marwan Athamneh and videographer Ahmad Al-Sharif again (06/15), Al-Araby TV correspondent Ahmad Jradat, Al-Jarmaq correspondent Kareen Al-Bash, Anadolu correspondent Samir Abdul-Hadi, Al-Arabiya correspondent Israa Al-Zir and videographer Abd Khodor, Freelance journalist Saïd Khaireddin (06/15), Roya TV correspondent Ward Qaraqreh (06/15, 06/22), Anadolu correspondent Amir Abd Rabbo and photographer Mustafa Kharouf, and AFP photographer Ahmad Ghrableh (06/22).

These incidents occurred primarily while the journalists were reporting on the aftermath of Iranian missile strikes on Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Israeli police blocked Anadolu photographer Samir Abdul-Hadi, TRT correspondent Sally Muakkat, and her colleague photographer Mujahid Idmir from covering developments (06/14). In Haifa, police raided a media office and cut its broadcast signal. Officers also interrogated TRT correspondent Fahmi Shtaywi and photographer Hamza Naaji, Al-Ghad’s Razi Tatur and Iyad Abu Shalbak, and freelance journalist Murad Saïd (06/18). They were summoned again the following day, and their equipment was confiscated.

Israeli military censors imposed sweeping restrictions on press coverage, citing public security and the prevention of “aiding the enemy” (06/19). Just days earlier (06/16), National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir publicly incited against Al-Jazeera and its journalists, labeling them “spies.” Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court postponed the trial of journalist Bayan Ja’baha by 23 days (06/29).

In Syria, the Israeli army interrogated +963-website correspondent Nader Debbo, known as Abu Maan Al-Hurani, alongside Al-Modon correspondent Nour Julan, also known as Nour Al-Hassan (06/14). Separately, the Syrian General Security arrested journalist and writer Hassan Zaza at his home in Damascus, without providing any explanation for the arrest. Later in the month, a security patrol summoned journalist Nour Al-Hassan for questioning at the General Security headquarters in Quneitra in connection with his reporting (06/30).

In Jordan, the Jordanian Press Association drew widespread criticism on social media after issuing a warning (06/01) against “individuals and entities labelling themselves as journalists on personal or public social media pages, without official accreditation from the syndicate or relevant authorities in Jordan.” The statement was condemned by many users as an “arbitrary warning” that unfairly targets a broad segment of media workers, particularly freelancers who are often ineligible for union membership. In response to the backlash, the association granted a 30-day grace period for individuals to regularize their status.