Our Directorate has published the book "Murdering the Truth: Israel's Campaign Against Journalism", which documents both the humanitarian and historical dimensions of the events in Gaza.
Available in Turkish, English, and Arabic, the book explores the systematic targeting of journalists during Israel’s attacks in Gaza, most notably following October 7, 2023, within the framework of historical recordkeeping and the responsibility of witness-bearing.
The book, featuring a foreword penned by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, offers an account of Israel's targeting of journalists in Gaza, its deliberate destruction of communication infrastructure, and its unreserved targeting of civilians to silence voices revealing the truth, drawing on extensive documents and testimonies.
It recounts the bombing of journalists’ homes, the targeting of their families, and the life stories of 283 members of the press, including 37 women, who were massacred by Israel while carrying out their duties with their bulletproof vests and cameras.
"Murdering the Truth: Israel’s Campaign Against Journalism" documents not only press history but also the collective conscience of humanity. The book aims to shed light on the injustices inflicted upon the Palestinian people for over a century, preserve collective memory, and contribute to the documentation of events.
In the book's foreword, President Erdoğan stated that human history has always witnessed conflicts and wars, and that information about these calamitous events, referred to as turning points in history, has survived to this day because they have been recorded.
President Erdoğan pointed out that writing history is as important as making history and emphasised that in this period, marked by a succession of developments that will change the course of the world, press workers, who reveal the events and record them just like historians, fulfil an important role not only in terms of understanding today correctly but also in terms of conveying these developments to the future.
President Erdoğan said, "Ensuring that members of the press, who work hard to preserve historical knowledge and accurately convey the facts to the public, can carry out their duties effectively, particularly in conflict and war zones, is one of the most important responsibilities of states."
President Erdoğan stated that this responsibility has been repeatedly recorded by international law and norms, adding that this enables members of the press to report developments accurately and impartially to the whole world.
"Israel is targeting journalists who are trying to uncover the truth"
President Erdoğan noted that when states fail to meet this responsibility, it becomes impossible for the truths to be revealed and recognised, and added:
"The way Israel’s genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, has been reflected in international public opinion is precisely the sign of the truth we are trying to highlight. What Israel is trying to do is not only to massacre a nation, especially women and children, through occupation and mass punishment, but also to make these killings seem nonexistent and to persuade the international community that what it is doing in Gaza is normal. To achieve this, Israel is targeting journalists who are trying to uncover the truth behind the story they have fabricated."
President Erdoğan recalled that ethical and honest journalists, who try to reveal the truth under extremely difficult conditions with bulletproof vests on and cameras and microphones in hand, are systematically targeted by the Israeli army.
President Erdoğan stated, "This gang, which disregards every rule of the laws of war and humanitarian law, does not hesitate to bomb the homes of journalists striving to convey the truth and even kill their family members as a form of punishment. In Gaza, journalists are denied even the right to live, let alone the freedom of the press."
President Erdoğan salutes the journalists who were killed by Israel
President Erdoğan emphasised that despite all of Israel’s efforts, the genocide and massacres in Gaza cannot be hidden, stating, "No matter how much Israel tries to silence and obstruct, conscientious people and genuine journalists seeking the truth continue to expose what is happening in Gaza in all its reality, even at the cost of their lives. The documentation of Israeli attacks, which have gone down in history as a dark stain, the killing of journalists who give voice to innocent Palestinians, and the documentation of history’s blood-stained pages by Israel have become a crucial duty for us."
Emphasising that their work serves both to enlighten today’s societies and raise awareness for future generations, President Erdoğan said, "I respectfully salute the determined struggle of the journalists mercilessly killed by Israel. We will persist in our efforts to ensure that the truths these journalists, who have earned a significant place in press history through their courage, risked their lives to convey reach a broader audience."
Please click here for the book "Murdering the Truth: Israel's Campaign Against Journalism".