Hamas Operatives Attack Three Journalists Inside Gaza Hospital, Press Union Demands Accountability

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has condemned an attack by Hamas operatives on three Gaza-based journalists inside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, calling it an alarming violation of press freedom. The incident involved members of Hamas’s “Sahm” unit, part of its internal security force, who physically assaulted the journalists while they were covering events inside the hospital. The assault not only injured at least one journalist but also obstructed all three from performing their professional duties.

The journalists attacked were Khaled Shaat, a reporter for Shaat News Agency and Jordan’s Al-Hayat Radio; Mohammed Salama, a photographer for Al Jazeera; and Abdullah Al-Attar, a correspondent for Turkey’s Anadolu Agency. The Syndicate reported that one of them sustained visible arm injuries, and all were prevented from continuing their work.

In a public statement, the Union described the incident as “reprehensible and unacceptable behaviour,” emphasising that journalists are not combatants but essential messengers tasked with delivering truth to the world. It further condemned the attack as particularly egregious given that Gaza’s journalists already face extraordinary risks from ongoing Israeli airstrikes and military operations.

The Syndicate called for an urgent and transparent investigation into the assault and demanded that those responsible be held accountable. It also urged the Hamas-run authorities in Gaza to respect the rights of journalists and ensure that no internal security forces interfere with their work. “Journalists play a vital role in conveying the truth and defending the cause of their people,” the statement read. “They must be allowed to carry out their sacred mission without intimidation, threats, or violence.”

This incident underscores the multi-layered dangers facing media workers in Gaza, where threats do not only come from external conflict but also from domestic repression. While global attention often focuses on the Israeli military’s targeting of media personnel, internal crackdowns like this illustrate the broader climate of fear and control that journalists must navigate.

The attack has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates, who argue that safeguarding journalists is not only a legal obligation under international humanitarian law but also essential for transparency and accountability in conflict zones.