The Daily Star Ireland
Gaza authorities reported that an Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital, while the Israeli military claimed it targeted a vehicle carrying Islamic Jihad militants.
Medical sources indicated that these five journalists were among at least 21 individuals killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza before dawn. The escalation occurred amidst ongoing conflicts between Hamas and Israel, both of whom blamed each other for delays in achieving a ceasefire agreement after over 14 months of fighting.
The Palestinian Journalists Union stated that the strike hit a broadcast vehicle from the Al-Quds Today channel, killing the five journalists in front of Al-Awda Hospital in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp. Footage from the scene showed a white van’s wreckage with the word “PRESS” partially visible on its back doors.
The union claimed that over 190 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces since the conflict started in October 2023. The Gaza-based Al-Quds Today channel condemned the strike as a massacre, emphasizing that the journalists were fulfilling their media and humanitarian duties.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike but asserted it targeted a vehicle containing an Islamic Jihad terrorist cell in Nuseirat. Israel consistently denies targeting journalists and asserts that it takes measures to avoid civilian casualties.
In another incident, medics reported that an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood killed eight people and injured 20 others, with more casualties expected as many were trapped under the debris. Another Israeli strike in Gaza City’s Sabra suburb resulted in eight additional deaths, raising the total to 21.
Meanwhile, Hamas and Israel exchanged accusations over the stalled ceasefire negotiations despite recent progress. Hamas accused Israel of introducing new conditions related to withdrawal, ceasefire, prisoner release, and the return of displaced individuals, which hindered the agreement. In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of reneging on previous understandings and complicating the negotiations.
The conflict originated from a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken to Gaza, according to Israeli records. In response, Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza has led to the deaths of over 45,300 Palestinians, as reported by health officials in Gaza.
The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and left much of the region in ruins.
