Israeli Strike Kills 5 Palestinian Journalists in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike overnight in the Gaza Strip killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital, according to the Health Ministry. The attack targeted a car near the Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, located in central Gaza. The journalists were working for the Quds News Network, which also confirmed the strike.

The Israeli military stated that it was targeting a group of militants from Islamic Jihad, a group affiliated with Hamas, which launched the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, sparking the ongoing conflict.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the war began. Israel has restricted access to Gaza for foreign journalists, allowing only military embeds.

The conflict started when Hamas militants breached the border in a surprise assault, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking approximately 250 hostages. As of now, about 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least a third feared dead.

Israel’s ongoing air and ground offensive has claimed the lives of more than 45,000 Palestinians, with the Health Ministry stating that over half of the casualties are women and children. The military actions have caused widespread devastation, displacing about 90% of Gaza’s population, which totals 2.3 million. Many have sought refuge in overcrowded tent camps along the coast, struggling to endure the harsh winter conditions.