French Journalists Rally April 16 in Paris, Marseille After Nearly 200 Gaza Journalists Killed

French journalist unions and media organizations have called for rallies in Paris and Marseille on April 16 at 6 p.m. to express solidarity with Palestinian journalists in Gaza. The gatherings will take place at the Opéra Bastille in Paris and the Vieux-Port in Marseille. The collective statement, co-signed by 40 journalist groups and major French newsrooms, denounces the killing of nearly 200 Palestinian journalists in Israeli bombings over the past 18 months. The statement references documentation by international journalist defense organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the International Federation of Journalists, in collaboration with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. A recent Brown University study is cited, and the statement notes that at least 40 journalists were killed while reporting, many clearly identified as press. The deaths include figures such as Hossam Shabat, Ahmed Al-Louh, Ibrahim Mohareb, Wafa Al-Udaini, Ahmed Fatima, and Bilal Jadallah. The statement also highlights the role and challenges of women journalists in Gaza. The statement accuses Israeli authorities of imposing a media blackout in Gaza and calls for the right of foreign press to enter the territory. French journalists also mourn Israeli, Lebanese, and Syrian journalists killed in the conflict and stress the need for continued support and protection of Palestinian journalists.