TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman stated that more than 140 Palestinian journalists were victims of the Zionist regime's crime for 7 months and in the silence of the Western countries that claim speech freedom."On World Press Freedom Day, we honor the memory of the brave and proud Palestinian journalists who sacrificed their lives to reflect the realities and shine a light on the dark scenes of the Zionist regime's war crimes in the Gaza Strip," Nasser Kan'ani said on his X account.

He noted that more than 140 Palestinian truth-teller journalists became victims of the Zionist regime's unprecedented crime against the media and freedom of speech in just 7 months.

He added that these crimes happened while the Western countries claiming freedom of the press remained silent and international organizations and institutions were indifferent.

Kan'ani said that the claimants of freedom of speech and free circulation of information have not only remained silent in front of the killing of so many journalists for seven months, but also they continued to support their killers with all their power.

UNESCO on Thursday awarded its world press freedom prize to all Palestinian journalists covering the war in Gaza, which Israel has been attacking for more than six months.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the coastal territory, including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship, since Palestinian resistance movements launched their surprise attack, dubbed Operation al-Aqsa Storm, against the regime on October 7.

At least 34,596 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed while another 77,816 individuals have sustained injuries.

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