Attachments
Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has continued unabated for over 14 months, with relentless attacks sparing no one, including journalists and media workers who are protected under international law. Since October 2023, Al Mezan has documented the killing of at least 231 journalists, including 28 female journalists. Additionally, 399 journalists and media professionals have been injured, and 42 others detained. In the latest grievous crime, Israel killed five Palestinian journalists inside a clearly marked press vehicle in Al-Nuseirat Refugee Camp during the early hours of this morning, further increasing the number of media workers deliberately targeted for their profession.
Al Mezan’s fieldworkers documented that at approximately 1:05 a.m. on Thursday, 26 December 2024, Israeli warplanes struck a white Mercedes broadcast vehicle belonging to Al-Quds Today channel. The vehicle was parked next to the administration building of Al-Awda Hospital in Al-Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in the Middle Area governorate. The attack killed five journalists who were inside the vehicle and worked for Al-Quds Today channel: Ayman Nihad Al-Jadi, 28, a photographer; Faisal Abdullah Abu Al-Qumsan, 27, a correspondent; Ibrahim Jamal Al-Sheikh Ali, 38, a journalist in the News Monitoring Department; Fadi Ihab Hassouna, 22, a video editor; and Mohammed Iyad Al-Lada'a, 23, also a video editor. Two others, including a hospital staff member, were injured, and the attack caused significant damage to the hospital and surrounding civilian properties.
Journalist Momen Al-Qrenawi, a photographer for Al-Jazeera and an eyewitness to the incident, told Al Mezan:
“At approximately midnight on Thursday, 26 December 2024, I was on duty near the gate of Al-Awda Hospital alongside my colleague, Ayman Al-Jadi, a photographer for Al-Quds Today TV channel. We were sitting near the broadcast vehicle, and shortly afterward, I left Ayman and entered the hospital. About an hour later, I heard a loud explosion. Assuming it was a nearby strike, I grabbed my camera and rushed outside. I saw flames engulfing the broadcast vehicle, with my colleagues trapped inside. The fire consumed the vehicle and everyone inside, while bystanders stood helpless, unable to extinguish the flames. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to arrive. All five journalists, including Ayman, were killed. We had worked tirelessly under incredibly challenging conditions to document and share the truth of what was happening on the ground.”
Israeli forces continue to systematically target Palestinian journalists in a deliberate effort to suppress their ability to report on the realities on the ground. These attacks persist despite journalists being clearly identifiable by press badges visible on their vests, helmets, vehicles, and equipment. In addition to directly targeting journalists, Israeli forces have also struck the homes of media workers and their families, causing significant harm on them and their loved ones. This strategy aims to intimidate and punish those who continue to document the truth.
Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have also denied international press teams access to Gaza, obstructing independent reporting on the violations and atrocities occurring there.
Al Mezan unequivocally condemns the Israeli attack that killed the five journalists who were carrying out their professional duties and documenting the ongoing events, as well as the numerous other attacks on media personnel since the beginning of the genocide. Journalists are among the protected categories under international law, and they must be protected.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to take immediate and decisive action to end Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, lift the siege and blockade, put an end to the inhumane conditions endured by over two million Palestinians in Gaza, ensure the protection of journalists, and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable through effective and urgent measures by the International Criminal Court.