Yet another Palestinian journalist was killed on Monday and nine others were wounded, some critically, when an Israeli air strike hit a tent used by local media in southern Gaza, said medics and the local journalists’ union.
Footage showed people trying to douse flames from a fire in the tent inside the compound of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, during the early hours of Monday. Reuters was able to verify the video from the position, layout and design of nearby buildings and tents. The date could be verified by media reports and corroborating videos.
Other footage posted on social media but not verified by Reuters appeared to show that the tent had been burned to the ground, along with the furniture and equipment inside it. Images appearing to show a journalist in flames, and another person trying to rescue him, were shared widely.
A second Palestinian was also killed in the attack, said Gaza medics.
The Israeli occupation authorities did not respond immediately to a request from Reuters for comment.
Later, dozens of journalists and relatives took part in the funeral of the dead journalist, who was named as Helmy Al-Faqawi. Colleagues carried his white-shrouded body on a medical stretcher with his blue “Press” flak jacket placed on top.
“We will continue to deliver the message and convey the truth to the whole world,” said fellow journalist Abd Shaath. “This is our humanitarian duty.” He added that they were woken by the strike to find the nearby tent of their colleagues on fire.
Faqawi’s death raised the number of journalists killed by Israel’s genocide in Gaza to at least 210 since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate.
In total, local health authorities said that Israeli military strikes had killed 10 more Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday.
At least 50,700 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli offensive in Gaza, say Palestinian officials. Many thousands more remain missing, presumed dead, under the rubble of their homes and other civilian infrastructure destroyed by Israel.
Israel began its offensive after Hamas-led gunmen attacked communities in southern Israel on 7 October, 2023. An estimated 1,200 people were killed, many of them by the Israel Defence Forces carrying out the controversial Hannibal Doctrine. Around 251 were taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
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