Palestinian Photographer Areej Shaheen Killed in Israeli Airstrike in Gaza

January 03, 2025 – Palestine/Israel – 

32-year-old Palestinian freelance photographer Areej Shaheen was killed in an Israeli airstrike that struck her family home near the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The attack also claimed the life of her mother and seriously injured her father. Shaheen had been documenting life under siege through photography and social media, offering a rare glimpse into the daily realities of war-torn Gaza.

Shaheen was a respected visual storyteller with over 13,000 followers on Instagram. Through her lens, she captured powerful images of displacement, destruction, and human resilience. Her work had been featured by various independent media outlets and was particularly valued for highlighting the human cost of the ongoing conflict. Friends and colleagues remember her as courageous, compassionate, and committed to giving voice to those caught in the crossfire.

According to reports, the airstrike hit her home during the early morning hours. While it remains unclear whether the residence was deliberately targeted, Shaheen was not engaged in any military activity and was not on assignment at the time of her death. Her killing has drawn sharp criticism from international press freedom advocates, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who have documented a steep rise in journalist deaths since the war began on October 7, 2023.

Shaheen is one of more than 200 Palestinian journalists reported killed since the start of the conflict, with CPJ confirming at least 178 deaths. The Gaza Strip has now become the most dangerous region in the world for media professionals. Many of those killed, like Shaheen, were freelance or local reporters without institutional protections or safety equipment.

Her death highlights the peril journalists face while covering or even simply living through conflict. Press freedom organizations are urging the international community to investigate her killing and others like it, emphasizing that the targeting or killing of civilians, including journalists, may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.

Areej Shaheen’s loss is not only a blow to her family and colleagues but also to the broader struggle for truth and accountability in times of war.

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Areej Shaheen

Areej Shahin and Mother Killed in Israeli Airstrike… | DeepNewz