Fatma Kanso, mother of slain Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah, mourns at his funeral in Al Khiyam, Lebanon, on October 14, 2023. (Reuters/Zohra Bensemra)

At least 23 journalists have been killed, nearly 10 others wounded, and some are unaccounted for in the fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas since October 7, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.

CPJ said the Israel-Gaza conflict has taken a severe toll on journalists since Hamas first launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, with the latter staging a fury reprisal of deadly airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The New York-based international media watchdog said 23 journalists including 19 Palestinians, 3 Israeli and one Lebanese have been confirmed dead.

It further said 8 more journalists were reported injured while three others reported missing or detained.

“CPJ is investigating all reports of journalists killed, injured, detained, or missing in the war, including those hurt as hostilities spread to neighboring Lebanon,” the group said in a statement on Sunday.

It further said investigation is ongoing into numerous unconfirmed reports of other journalists “being killed, missing, detained, hurt or threatened, and of damage to media offices and journalists’ homes.”

“CPJ emphasizes that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and must not be targeted by warring parties,” said the group’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, Sherif Mansour.

Mansour added: “Journalists across the region are making great sacrifices to cover this heartbreaking conflict. All parties must take steps to ensure their safety.”

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, according to Israeli officials.

Israel says around 1,500 Hamas fighters were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the area under attack, AFP reported.

The militants governing the enclave are also presumed to have seized more than 200 hostages from southern Israel and carried them across the border.

More than 4,651 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across Gaza in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian Islamist militant group, according to the latest toll from the Hamas health ministry in Gaza.