Jacksonville honors the martyrs of the Palestinian press
Jacksonville, FL – On Saturday, August 15, community members and leaders of Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network (JPSN) rallied to demand an end to the U.S.-Israeli continued murder of Palestinian journalists.
The event was just five days after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Anas Al-Sharif, an award-winning frontline Palestinian journalist. Al-Sharif was murdered by a targeted airstrike on August 10, 2025, by the Israeli occupation forces.
The rally featured several speakers from JPSN who shared stories of the martyred journalists. People understand the journalists as the bearers of truth who risk their lives every day to capture the horrors of Israeli occupation for the world to see.
Reporting from Gaza has been in significant decline due to the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists. Since the start of the escalated genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, there has been a recorded 242 Palestinian journalists killed by the Israeli occupation forces.
The loved ones of journalists are targets as well, with many families of journalists killed by the Israeli forces. Even after death, their stories and their voices live on through the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their unified resistance.
Immediately after the rally, JPSN hosted a vigil to honor all of the martyred journalists, reading aloud the wills of Anas Al-Sharif, Saleh Aljafawari, and Hossam Shabat. This was followed by a moment of silence. Just as Palestinian journalists resolve to report on the war and genocide in the face of death, Jacksonville protesters promised to continue their solidarity effort to not let free speech die.