In a stark violation of international law, Israeli forces directly targeted a journalists' encampment near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, killing one reporter and wounding nine colleagues.
This statement was originally published on madacenter.org on 7 April 2025.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the heinous crime committed by Israeli occupation forces early this morning, Monday, April 7th. Israeli military aircraft targeted a journalists’ tent located near the “Nasser” Medical Hospital in the western part of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip.
An Israeli reconnaissance drone fired a missile at the tent, which was housing several journalists – some of whom were working while others were sleeping. The strike set the tent ablaze, causing its immediate destruction and significant damage to journalistic equipment, including computers and press gear.
The airstrike resulted in the death of HELMY AL-FAQAWI (28 years old), a reporter for Palestine Today News Agency, and left at least nine other journalists injured, some with serious wounds. Among the injured, two are in critical condition: AHMAD MANSOUR, a reporter and editor for Palestine News Agency, who sustained severe burns and extensive shrapnel injuries, and IHAB AL-BARDINI, a cameraman, who was struck by shrapnel to the head, which exited through his eye. Other injured journalists include freelance journalist HASSAN ESLAIH, BBC reporter AHMED AL-AGHA, MOHAMMED FAYEK, Al Jazeera Live cameraman ABDULLAH AL-ATTAR, Al Jazeera cameraman MAHMOUD AWAD, MAJED QADEIH, and ALI ESLAIH. All injured journalists are receiving medical treatment at Nasser Hospital, and several have undergone surgery.
MADA condemns this deliberate and targeted attack on journalists, which constitutes a gross violation of international laws and norms that are designed to protect journalists while carrying out their professional duties. This attack is a clear attempt to silence the voice of truth and obstruct the reporting of crimes and human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people.
We call on the international community, human rights organizations, and international journalists’ unions to take immediate action to hold those responsible for this crime accountable and to ensure the provision of adequate protection for Palestinian journalists, who continue to work under perilous conditions to document and report the suffering of their people.
We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and our colleagues in the media, and wish a swift recovery to the injured. We also stress the urgent need for concrete measures to prevent further attacks on journalists and media outlets in Palestine.
