The number of Palestinian dead journalists  has risen to 209 since the start of the war waged by Israel on October 7, 2023, according to what the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip announced on Tuesday.

The government office said in a statement: "The number of killed journalists has risen to 209 since the start of the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, following the announcement of the martyrdom of journalist Mohammed Saleh al-Bardawil, a broadcaster for the Voice of Al-Aqsa Radio."

The office condemned "Israel's targeting, killing, and assassination of Palestinian journalists," and called on human rights organizations and journalistic bodies around the world to "condemn these systematic crimes against journalists in Gaza."

It held "Israel, the US administration, and countries complicit in the crime of genocide, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, fully responsible for committing this brutal crime."

He called on the international community and international organizations to exert "effective pressure to stop the genocide and protect journalists and media professionals in Gaza."

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to escalate the war on the Gaza Strip and implement US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians.