Gaza: At least sixty-four Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed, several have been injured and others are missing during the war in Gaza. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) condemn the killings and continued attacks on journalists. The IFJ has called for an immediate investigation into their deaths.
In such dangerous conditions, the IFJ reminded journalists on the ground to take precautions, wear professional safety equipment and not to travel without their media providing them with all the professional safety equipment needed to cover events. No story is worth the life of a journalist.
In the early hours of 7 October, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack in southern Israel. In response, Israel retaliated with airstrikes over the besieged Gaza Strip and formally declared war at Hamas. The IFJ is working closely with PJS to verify information in real time and document all killings. Check the list of journalists and media workers killed since the start of the war in Gaza.
Journalists and media workers
On 13 December, PJS confirmed the killing of journalist and former Al-Mayadeen correspondent Abdul Karim Odeh, who lost his life in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseriat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, media reported.
On 9 December, journalist Ala Atallah was killed together with nine members of her family in an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Daraj neighbourhood in Gaza City, PJS and Roya News reported. On the same day, photojournalist Mohamed Abu Samra lost his life as a result of Israeli bombardment in southern Gaza Strip, according to PJS.
On 3 December, PJS confirmed the killing of Al Quds TV executive Hassan Farajallah, who was killed in an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip.
On 1 December, PJS and media confirmed the death of photojournalist Abdallah Darwish, who worked for Al Aqsa TV and was killed in an Israeli raid in the Gaza Strip. Later during the day, photographer Muntaser Al-Sawaf, who worked for the Turkish news agency Anadolu, was killed in an airstrike on Gaza City, Anadolu Agency reported.
On the same day, freelance journalist Adham Hassouna was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza city.
On 25 November, the body of Nader Al-Nazli, who worked as a technician for Palestine TV, was found under the rubble, one week after his house was bombed.
On 24 November, journalist Amal Zahed was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City and Mustafa Bakir lost his life in an Israeli airstrike on his house in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, PJS reported.
On 23 November, photojournalist Muhammad Moin Ayyash was killed, alongside with a number of his family members, in an Israeli strike on his house in the Nuseirat refugge camp in the Gaza Strip, according to WAFA news agency.
On 22 November, PJS and Al Jazeera confirmed the deaths of Mohamad Nabil Al-Zaq, who worked for Quds TV and was killed in an Israeli strike; and Assem Al-Barsh, who worked for Palestinian Al-Ray radio and was killed by an Israeli sniper in the Al-Saftawi area in northern Gaza Strip.
On 21 November, Jamal Hanieh, editor at Amwaj Sports Media Network, was killed in an Israeli bombardment on Gaza City, according to the media Hanieh worked for.
On 20 November, PJS reported the death of digital and broadcaster journalist Ayat Al-Khaddura, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza city. Before her killing, she posted a video from her home on social media documenting the ongoing situation in Gaza.
On 19 November, Bilal Jadallah, who was the director general of media development organisation Press House in Gaza, was killed in his car in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to PJS and media.
On 18 November, PJS and the media reported the deaths of several journalists and media workers in Gaza. Photographer Moseab Ashour was killed in an attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip days before.
Journalist and writer Mustafa Al-Sawaf was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Gaza city. Al Sawaf was killed alongside his wife and two of his children. His two sons, who are also journalists, Monaster Al-Sawaf and Mohammad Al-Sawaf, were critically wounded.
Amr Abu Hayya, who worked in the broadcasting department of Al Aqsa TV, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza.
Director of Quds News Network Saary Mansour and freelance photographer Hassouneh Isleem were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Bureij refugee camp, according to PJS and Al Jazeera.
On the same day, Abdelhalim Awad, media worker and driver of Al Aqsa TV was killed in a strike on his home, PJS reported.
On 15 November, freelance journalist Mahmoud Matar was killed in an airstrike on his home in Gaza.
On 13 November, photographer Ahmed Fatmah, who worked for Al Qahera News, was killed due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, PJS and Al Qahera News reported.
On 12 November, PJS and MADA confirmed the death of journalist Mousa Al Barsh, who was the executive director of local Namaa Radio, following an Israeli airstrike on his home in northern Gaza.
On 10 November, photojournalist Ahmed Al-Qara was killed at the entrance of Khuza’a town, east of the southern city of Khan Yunis, according to PJS.
On 7 November, journalist Yahya Abu Munie, who worked for Al Aqsa radio, was killed in an airstrike in Gaza City. PJS and Al Jazeera reported.
On 7 November, PJS and WAFA confirmed the death of journalist Mohammad Abu Hasira, a correspondent for Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA), who was killed in an Israeli bombing near the fishermen’s port in Gaza City. According to WAFA, the airstrike took place overnight between Sunday and Monday, but the body of Abu Hasira was found in the rubble on 7 November.
On 6 November, journalist Mohammed Al Jajeh, who worked for media development organisation Press House, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Al-Nasr neighborhood in Gaza City. PJS and media reported his death.
On 2 November, journalist Mohammad Abu Hatab, a member of PJS and IFJ who worked as a correspondent for Palestine TV, was killed when an Israeli airstrike hit his home in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. PJS reported his death. PJS reported his death. On the same day, journalist Mohammed Bayyari, who worked for Al Aqsa TV, was killed.
On the same day, journalist Iyad Matar was killed in an Israeli bombardment that hit his home on the Gaza Strip, media reported.
On 1 November, PJS confirmed the killing of journalist Majd Fadl Arandas, who worked for the news website Al-Jamahir, during a bombing near his house in the Nuseirat camp, in the Deir al-Balah Governorate.
On 31 October, Palestine TV confirmed the death of two media workers, Majd Kashkou and Imad Wahidi in an Israeli airstrike over Gaza city.
On 30 October, PJS and WAFA news agency confirmed the death of Nazmi Al-Nadim, deputy director of finance and administration for Palestine TV. Al-Nadim was killed when an Israeli warplane bombed his house in Zeitun neighbourhood in Gaza city.
On 27 October, Yasser Abu Namous was killed during Israeli airstrike that hit his house in eastern Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, PJS and WAFA news agency reported.
On 26 October, PJS and WAFA news agency confirmed the death of journalist Duaa Sharaf, who worked at Al Aqsa Radio, in a missile attack that struk her home in the Al-Zawaida neighborhood, central Gaza Strip.
On 25 October, journalist Jamal Al-Faqawi, who worked at Mithaq Media Network, was killed when an Israeli bombardment hit his home in the city of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip.
On 25 October, PJS confirmed the death of three journalists Saed Al-Halabi, who worked for Al Aqsa TV, that was killed when his home in Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip, was targeted. Ahmed Abu Mahadi, who worked for Al Aqsa TV, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, PJS reported. On the same day, journalist Salma Mukhaimar was killed in an air strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, PJS reported.
On the same day, journalist Zaher Al Afghani, who worked for Mithaq Media Network, was killed when an airstrike hit his home in Deir Al Balah.
On 23 October, Palestinian news agency WAFA and PJS confirmed the death of journalist Mohammed Imad Labad, following an Israeli bombing close to his house in Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza city.
On 22 October, Roshdi Sarraj, co-founder of Ain Media, photojournalist, film-maker and fixer for several international media, including Radio France, was killed in an Israeli air raid that hit his home, western Gaza city, PJS and media reported.
On 21 October, Hani Madhoun, who worked as an administrative staff for Al Aqsa TV, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Gaza.
On 20 October, PJS confirmed the death of Muhammad Abu Ali, a journalist with Al-Shabab radio in Gaza, who was killed by Israeli shelling of his home in the northern Gaza strip.
On 19 October, Khalil Abu Athra, cameraman for Al-Aqsa TV, was killed in the Al-Nasr neighborhood, north of Rafah.
On 18 October Al-Aqsa TV producer and director Samih Al-Nadi was killed in an aircraft bombing on the Gaza Strip.
On 17 October, PJS reported the killing of Al Aqsa TV journalist Isam Bahar, following the bombing of his house in Gaza city.
On the same day, Palestine TV journalist Mohammed Balousha was killed in his apartment due to bombings in Gaza city. PJS and media confirmed his death.
On 16 October, a bombardment hit the house of Al Aqsa TV journalist Abdul Hadi Habib in the Zeitun neighbourhood in Gaza city. PJS and media confirmed his death.
On 14 October, freelance journalist Yousef Dawwas was killed together with his family in an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor reported.
On 13 October, PJS confirmed the killing of journalist Hossam Mubarak, working for Al AqsaTV, when an Israeli shelling hit his home in northern Gaza city.
On 12 October, producer of Voice of Prisoners Radio Ahmed Shehab was killed alongside with his family members when an Israeli airstrike struk his house in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, PJS reported.
On 11 October, the PJS confirmed the death of freelance photographer Mohammed Fayez Yousef Abu Matar, 28, following Israeli bombings on Rafah governorate, southern Gaza Strip. According to the state-run news agency WAFA, Abu Matar was a freelance photographer covering the ongoing military operations when he was killed.
On 10 October, the PJS said in a statement that three Palestinian journalists Said Al-Tawil, director of Al-Khamisa news agency; photojournalist Mohammed Sobboh and photographer Hisham Al-Nawahjh for Khabar news agency in Gaza, were killed by an Israeli airstrike that hit a residential building near Gaza City’s fishing port. The Hamas-run government said that the three reporters were covering the evacuation of a residential building nearby, when the missile struck, AFP reported.
On the same day, Salam Meimah, who worked for Al Quds Radio, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on her home in Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza strip. Her body was recovered from the rubber three days later.
On 8 October, freelance journalist Asaad Shamlakh was killed with his family in an Israeli airstrike on his home in Sheikh Ejline neighborhood in Gaza city, PJS confirmed.
On 7 October, Palestinian photojournalist Mohammad Al-Salhi, working for news agency Fourth Authority was shot dead while covering the military operations at the border east of Palestinian refugee camp Al-Bureij, located in the central Gaza Strip, according to the state-run news agency WAFA.
Ibrahim Lafi from Ain Media news agency was killed while reporting near Beit Hanoun checkpoint, close to the separation fence with Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip, the media reported.
On the same day, journalist Mohammad Jarghoun, working for Smart Media, a media production company in Gaza, was killed while covering the fight between Hamas and the Israeli army, close to Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
* The IFJ is working hard to keep this list up-to-date and accurate, seeking multiple sources for each name added, and concentrating on those who worked as journalists and media workers. Our intention is to list every journalist and media worker who has lost their life during the war. We welcome any further information that either contextualises the deaths itemised, or adds names to the list.
More information about journalists killed in Israel since 7 October here
More information about journalists killed in Lebanon since 7 October here
Journalists missing and injured
PJS warned that on 7 October contact was lost with local journalist Nidal Al-Wahidi from Al-Najah TV station and photographer Haitham Abdel Wahed from Ain Media agency. Both professionals were covering the fights close to the separation fence with Israel, near Beit Hanoun checkpoint. The next day, Al-Wahidi’s family informed the media that the journalist had been arrested by the Israeli army.
On 7 October, in the southern Gaza Strip, correspondent for Al-Ghad TV channel, Ibrahim Qanan, was injured in the leg by a missile strike targeted at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis city. In a similar incident, PJS reported that journalist Salah Abu Salah was wounded by a missile’s shrapnel at Abasan city.
In Gaza city, Israeli shelling injured journalist Saleh Al-Masry and his wife, and destroyed the houses of director of Zaman radio, Rami Al-Sharafi, and journalist Basil Khair Al-Din, working for TV station Al-Quds Today, reads PJS statement.
The moment an Israeli strike hit Palestine tower in Gaza on 7 October was caught on TV as Al Jazeera reporter Youmna Al-Sayed was conducting a live broadcast.
Throughout the weekend, Israeli retaliatory airstrikes completely or partially destroyed the headquarters of several media outlets, including the newsroom of Al-Ayyam newspaper, Gaza FM radio studio located in Palestine Tower, and headquarters of Shehab news agency, among others. The offices of Palestinian news agency Ma’an were severely damaged due to the flattening of Al-Watan Tower.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “Media workers in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference. The IFJ calls on all combatants in this conflict to do their utmost to safeguard journalists and media professionals. There is intense and deeply concerned interest in this conflict all round the world, but people will only be able to understand what is really going on if journalists are allowed to do their work.”.
(The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries)
