Five journalists tragically lost their lives early Thursday when their vehicle was hit by an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat area of Gaza. The journalists were traveling in a marked vehicle with the word “Press” clearly displayed when it was struck. The attack occurred near Al Awda Hospital, and Palestinian media quickly identified the victims as members of Al Quds Today, a Palestinian TV channel.
Local authorities and news outlets have confirmed the deaths of Faisal Abu Al-Qumsan, Fadi Hassouna, Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Ali, Ayman Al-Jadi, and Mohammed Al-Lada’a. This raises the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since the war began last October to 201.
The Israeli military, however, denies targeting journalists, claiming that the airstrike hit a vehicle carrying members of a “terrorist cell” from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. They called reports of journalists being targeted “fake claims.” But many are questioning this, especially after similar incidents in the past, where media workers were killed, including Al-Quds Today’s manager earlier this year.
The Committee to Protect Journalists and other international press organizations have condemned the ongoing attacks on media workers, calling for better protection for those covering the war. The toll on journalists has been “unprecedented,” they said, as they continue to risk their lives to bring the story to the world.