Tragic Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Claims Lives of Three Journalists

Wed Jan 21 2026 23:50:13 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a devastating incident, three Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike while working for an Egyptian relief organization in Gaza. The attack highlights the ongoing danger faced by media personnel in conflict zones.

An Israeli strike in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of three Palestinian journalists, identified as Mohammed Salah Qeshta, Anas Ghunaim, and Abdul Raouf Shaath, who were working for an Egyptian relief organization. The Israeli military claims they targeted individuals posing a threat, but local authorities contend this marks a serious escalation against journalists. The attacks coincide with rising violence in the region, raising concerns among advocacy groups regarding the safety of media workers.

Three Palestinian journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza, first responders say.

Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence agency stated that their vehicle was hit in the al-Zahra area, identifying the victims as Mohammed Salah Qeshta, Anas Ghunaim, and Abdul Raouf Shaath. The journalists were reportedly working for an Egyptian relief organization.

The Israeli military claimed that they struck several suspects who operated a drone affiliated with Hamas, stating that it posed a threat to their troops. The military has indicated that the incident is under examination.

In addition to the fatalities, at least eight other individuals, including two children, were reported killed due to Israeli artillery and gunfire across Gaza on the same day.

Medics reported that three of the deceased were killed in gunfire from Israeli tanks, with a 13-year-old boy and a woman also among the casualties.

Since a ceasefire took effect on October 10, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 466 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza, while the Israeli military reports three soldiers have been killed in related attacks during that period.

The journalists targeted on this occasion had been documenting the conditions of displaced individuals due to the ongoing conflict, with their vehicle marked by the relief organization's logo. The humanitarian effort was directly impacted by the strike, resulting in calls from Hamas for recognition of this incident as a grave violation of the ceasefire.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the airstrike as a war crime, claiming it illustrated a systematic policy by Israel to suppress the Palestinian voice.

As noted by the Committee to Protect Journalists, since the onset of hostilities, at least 206 journalists have been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, marking it as the deadliest conflict for media workers ever documented.

The conflict was ignited by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Israel has responded with a military campaign in Gaza, leading to devastating losses among the Palestinian population.