World Bulletin / News Desk

The Israeli army killed 15 journalists in the Palestinian territories since 2000, a Gaza-based rights group said Saturday.

"Denying the right to life and violating personal safety were Israel's most flagrant violations against journalists since the eruption of the second Palestinian Intifada (uprising) in 2000," the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in a report on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.

Dedicated for the defense of press freedoms and the safety of journalists, the World Press Freedom Day is marked on May 3 every year.

The center said in its report that Israel stepped up attacks against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories between January 1, 2013 and March 31 2014.

"The Israeli army indiscriminately and disproportionately used excessive force against journalists in ways unjustified by any military necessity," the center said.

According to the report, the Israeli army shot 39 times at journalists, leaving 31 journalists wounded.

The center also documented 22 cases of journalist beatings and four raids on homes of journalists.

It said the Israeli army detained 36 journalists, prevented 15 others from doing their work and confiscated the press badges and equipment of nine others.

"This brings Israeli violations against journalists since the Intifada to 1, 641," the center said, adding that dozens of violations were not documented.

Saturday's report is part of a series of reports issued by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights since February 2001 to document Israel's violations against journalists.