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Israeli Airstrike on Journalist Sparks Outcry Over Press Freedom Violations
April 9, 2025
April 09, 2025 – Palestine/Israel –
On April 7, 2025, an Israeli airstrike struck a tent sheltering journalists near the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killing two Palestinian journalists and injuring at least eight others. Among the victims was Ahmed Mansour, a reporter for Palestine Today, who suffered severe burns and died the next day after being filmed engulfed in flames. The tent had been used as a makeshift media workspace and was located in an area that journalists say was clearly identified and regularly used by members of the press.
Mansour’s death followed the immediate killing of fellow journalist Hilmi al-Faqawi, also of Palestine Today, who died at the scene. Other wounded reporters included Al Jazeera cameraman Mahmoud Awad and several local correspondents. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with bodies on fire and equipment reduced to ash. Eyewitness video footage of Mansour’s final moments spread rapidly online, provoking outrage and grief among Palestinians and press freedom advocates.
The Israeli military justified the airstrike by claiming it was targeting Hassan Eslaiah, another journalist accused of affiliation with Hamas. Eslaiah, reportedly wounded in the strike, later died from his injuries. However, press freedom groups and international observers sharply criticized the strike, calling it another example of the increasingly hostile conditions for journalists in Gaza.
Since the escalation of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, more than 220 journalists have lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest periods for reporters in modern history. Media watchdogs, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, have urged independent investigations into the strikes, warning that targeting the press undermines efforts to document potential war crimes and humanitarian abuses.
The deaths of Mansour and al-Faqawi have reignited international concern over the protection of journalists in war zones, with calls growing for legal accountability. Their deaths underscore the extreme risks journalists face in Gaza and highlight the urgent need for stronger international safeguards for members of the media operating in conflict areas.
Reference –
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596311/media
The media blackout on Israel burning Palestinian journalist Ahmad Mansour alive is to be expected
