Five Palestinian journalists lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike targeting their vehicle outside Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry and their employer, Al-Quds Today Television.
The attack occurred overnight in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
The vehicle, clearly marked with “TV” and “PRESS,” was parked near the hospital when it was struck.
Footage of the aftermath shows the car engulfed in flames. The journalists—Ayman Al-Jadi, Faisal Abu Al-Qumsan, Mohammed Al-Lada’a, Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Ali, and Fadi Hassouna—were reportedly sleeping inside at the time.
Al-Quds Today Television, which is affiliated with the Palestine Islamic Jihad group, described the victims as being on a mission to fulfil their journalistic responsibilities. It condemned the attack, calling it a violation of their humanitarian and professional duties.
The Israeli military confirmed it had conducted the strike, alleging it targeted a cell of Islamic Jihad operatives in the area. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate the claim.
This incident adds to the rising toll of journalists killed during the ongoing conflict. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that at least 141 media workers have died across Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon since October 2023, marking the deadliest period for reporters in the region since records began in 1992.
The vast majority, 133, were Palestinians working in Gaza, facing heightened risks as they document the conflict.
The war, which began after a surprise Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October, has resulted in widespread devastation. Israel’s military response has reportedly killed over 45,000 Palestinians, with the majority identified as women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The offensive has displaced millions, leaving many struggling to survive in makeshift camps with minimal shelter from the harsh winter conditions.
