Three Palestinian journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza, first responders report.
The journalists—Mohammed Salah Qeshta, Anas Ghunaim, and Abdul Raouf Shaath—were reportedly hit while traveling in their car in the al-Zahra area, working for an Egyptian non-profit organization to document conditions for displaced individuals.
The Israeli military justified the attack, citing it targeted suspects who operated a drone affiliated with Hamas that posed a threat to its troops and stated that the incident is under investigation.
In separate incidents on the same day, eight additional Palestinians were reportedly killed, including two children, as a result of Israeli military action across Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Medics reported that three people died from Israeli tank fire, while gunfire in Khan Younis also claimed the lives of a 13-year-old boy and a woman.
Since the start of a ceasefire on October 10, 2023, at least 466 Palestinians have died, while Israeli forces report three of their soldiers have been killed in related conflicts.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate characterized the attack on the journalists as a war crime and part of a systematic effort to silence Palestinian voices, stating it reflects the ongoing dangers journalists endure in the region. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) notes this conflict has been particularly deadly for media workers, with at least 206 documented fatalities among journalists since hostilities escalated.
Following the deadly airstrike, a spokesperson from the Egyptian Relief Committee condemned the attack, asserting that the journalists' car bore their insignia and was involved in a humanitarian mission at the time.
The ongoing war was ignited by a Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023, resulting in significant casualties, followed by Israel’s military response in Gaza leading to extensive loss of life and humanitarian crises.
