TGC, TGS, DİSK Basın-İş, PEN Turkey, Turkish Publishers Association, TYS: Israel must abandon its genocide against journalists

In order to condemn the killing of six journalists in the latest attack by Israel on Gaza and to invite the international community to take action, press, publishing, and writers' professional organizations held a press conference on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) Burhan Felek Conference Hall. Professional organization representatives pointed out that 238 journalists have been killed, 480 injured, and 112 media organization buildings destroyed in Israel's inhumane attacks, and invited the international community to take action.

Representatives of six professional organizations attended the meeting. Turkish Journalists Association President Vahap Munyar, Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) General Secretary Banu Tuna, DİSK Basın-İş Supervisory Board Member Alparslan Aydın, PEN Turkey President Zeynep Oral, Turkish Publishers Association Board Member Erkan Akpınar, and Writers Syndicate of Turkey (TYS) General Secretary Tahir Şilkan shared their views at the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Writers Syndicate of Turkey President Adnan Özyalçıner, Journalists Union of Turkey President Gökhan Durmuş, Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) General Secretary Sibel Güneş, Reporters Without Borders Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, Jennifer Hattam from the Foreign Media Association, TGC Ballot Committee Member Haşmet Levent Yavuz, and TGC members Şekip Gümüşkanatlı, Cengiz Tokgöz, İsmet Arslan, and other journalists. At the meeting, representatives of the professional organizations shared their views as follows:

TGC PRESIDENT VAHAP MUNYAR: WE WISH FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE ISRAELI ARMY'S ATTACKS ON INNOCENT CIVILIANS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, AND JOURNALISTS

“The protection of journalists working in armed conflict zones around the world is of great importance in terms of human rights, universal law, and the public's right to information. While journalists should have immunity according to universal criteria in this regard, conflicting parties often specifically target journalists. The most recent and stark example of this is the systematic violence by Israel against reporters and cameramen who share its attacks on Gaza with the world. The Israeli army, which accuses journalists of engaging in terrorist activities, most recently struck a tent where journalists were located near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on August 10, 2025. Six journalists, including Al Jazeera reporters, were killed in the attack. The number of journalists killed in attacks carried out by the Israeli Army on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has reached 238. We condemn this inhumane and unlawful attack by Israel, which specifically targets press freedom. We extend our condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the journalists who lost their lives in the latest attack. We bow with respect before the memory of our 238 colleagues. We wish for peace to be established as soon as possible and for the Israeli Army's attacks on innocent civilians, healthcare workers, and journalists to end immediately. We want Israel to allow international aid organizations and media representatives to enter Gaza. We call on the international community to take action against Israel's attacks that disregard human rights, law, and press freedom.”

TGS GENERAL SECRETARY BANU TUNA: THERE ARE THREE ACTORS IN GENOCIDES: PERPETRATORS, VICTIMS, AND BYSTANDERS

“I would like to start by commemorating the names of our colleagues killed by Israel in Gaza on August 10 and 11: Mohammed Al-Khaldi, Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, Mohammed Noufal. Since October 7, 2023, 238 media workers have been brutally killed in Gaza, 480 of our colleagues have been injured, and 112 media organization buildings have been destroyed. This mass destruction of the media means only one thing: a genocide. That an attempt is being made to prevent the documentation of a genocide. There are three actors in genocides: perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. We refuse this helpless role, we refuse to remain bystanders. Along with our Palestinian colleagues, the truth is also dying and being buried. Just last month was the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide, and once again, the mantra of 'Never Again' was repeated at the gravesides. This promise made to humanity and future generations is now a meaningless rhetoric. Because since the end of the Second World War, genocides have unfortunately continued everywhere. The governments we elect to speak on our behalf are silent, making us unheard as well. While laments are sung for the Palestinian people on one hand, commercial relations with Israel are maintained on the other. Today, no one doubts that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. Israel, which blocks the international press, is trying to prevent the documentation of this great crime against humanity by killing Palestinian journalists. Today, the biggest concern and primary agenda of the whole world should be Gaza. The international press must be allowed to enter Gaza. Global action must be taken to stop Israel. As TGS, we once again express our solidarity with our colleagues who work in Gaza, risking their lives at every moment.”

DİSK BASIN-İŞ SUPERVISORY BOARD MEMBER ALPARSLAN AYDIN: OUR COLLEAGUES IN GAZA ARE ANNOUNCING THE ZIONIST ATROCITY TO THE WORLD AT THE COST OF THEIR LIVES

“In the struggle to defend the rights of journalists, we have always stood by the oppressed and against the oppressor. Our colleagues in Gaza are announcing the Zionist atrocity to the world at the cost of their lives. Their pens, cameras, and voices are the honor of humanity. We, here, embrace their struggle, amplify their voices, and raise our solidarity against this barbarism.”

PEN TURKEY PRESIDENT ZEYNEP ORAL: WE CONDEMN THE KILLING OF JOURNALISTS AND CIVILIANS EVEN UNDER WAR CONDITIONS

“Israel's recent addition of journalists to the genocide, massacres, and attacks it has been carrying out against Gaza; its targeting of a tent belonging to journalists around Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, killing six civilian journalists; its declaration that it did this intentionally; and its labeling of the only journalists who can report from within Gaza City as terrorists through smear and provocation campaigns have added new ones to its ever-increasing war crimes. As PEN Turkey, we condemn the killing of journalists and civilians even under war conditions.”

TURKISH PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER ERKAN AKPINAR: INTERNATIONAL LAW AND PRESS ETHICS PRINCIPLES MANDATE THE PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS IN CONFLICT ZONES

“International law and press ethics principles mandate the protection of journalists in conflict zones. However, what has been happening in Gaza, especially recently, reveals that these fundamental principles are being systematically violated. In addition to all the brutality of the occupation and war, the targeting of journalists, who are one of the most vulnerable groups in the war zone and who continue to bravely convey what is happening to the world, is a clear and indisputable violation of freedom of expression and the public's right to information. Since the beginning of the war, 238 journalists have been killed in Gaza. We call on the international community and all relevant institutions to take urgent action to immediately end this systematic violence against media members who are only performing their profession and who should be protected, especially under war conditions.”

WRITERS SYNDICATE OF TURKEY GENERAL SECRETARY TAHIR ŞİLKAN: WE CONDEMN ISRAEL'S MASSACRE POLICIES

“Israel continues to target and kill media workers—journalists, cameramen, reporters—without discrimination. In line with the goal of US imperialism to redesign the Middle East, Israel, which aims for the complete occupation of Gaza, is attacking media workers and journalists so that the massacres it carries out through famine, hunger, lack of medicine, and prevention of treatment by blocking humanitarian aid to the region are not announced to the world. Israel aims to become the absolute hegemon of the Middle East with the support of US imperialism by expanding its occupation in Syria. As the Writers Syndicate of Turkey, we condemn Israel's massacre policies against the Palestinian people in Gaza and call on our country's public opinion and the whole world to be sensitive in order to stop the attacks on the people and journalists.”