The killing of journalists in Gaza is a stark reflection of Israel's ongoing efforts to suppress the Palestinian narrative and silence those documenting the harsh realities of life under occupation. Palestinian journalists, often targeted while reporting on military operations, face immense dangers in their pursuit of truth. These attacks are seen by Palestinians as deliberate acts to prevent the world from witnessing the atrocities committed against civilians in Gaza. The targeting of journalists not only violates their rights but also undermines press freedom, further deepening the struggle for justice and accountability in Palestine.

1. Yasser Murtaja (2018)

Date: April 6, 2018

Details: Yasser Murtaja, a Palestinian photojournalist, was shot and killed by an Israeli sniper while covering the Great March of Return protests near the Gaza-Israel border. Murtaja was wearing a vest clearly marked with the word “PRESS” when he was targeted. Palestinians view his killing as part of Israel’s strategy to silence journalists and suppress media coverage of their military operations. Murtaja's death highlighted the dangers faced by journalists in Gaza, especially when covering protests and resistance against the Israeli occupation.

2. Ahmed Abu Hussein (2018)

Date: April 13, 2018

Details: Ahmed Abu Hussein, a Palestinian journalist, was critically injured by an Israeli sniper during the Great March of Return protests. He was shot while filming near the Gaza-Israel border and died from his injuries two weeks later. Abu Hussein, like Murtaja, was wearing a press vest, but the Israeli sniper deliberately targeted him. His killing further demonstrated Israel’s systemic targeting of journalists who document their military actions, an attack that many Palestinians see as an attempt to prevent truth from reaching the outside world.

3. Mohammed Al-Azza (2021)

Date: May 2021

Details: Mohammed Al-Azza, a Palestinian photographer, was injured by Israeli airstrikes during Israel's bombardment of Gaza in May 2021. Al-Azza was on assignment, capturing the destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, when he was struck by shrapnel from an Israeli airstrike. Palestinians saw this as another attempt by Israel to prevent journalists from documenting the devastation caused by its military operations. Though Al-Azza survived, his injuries underscored the extreme danger journalists face when reporting in Gaza.

4. Issam Al-Fekeh (2021)

Date: May 15, 2021

Details: Issam Al-Fekeh, a cameraman for Al-Quds Channel, was killed during Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. While filming the aftermath of the airstrikes, Al-Fekeh was hit by shrapnel from a bomb. Palestinians saw his death as part of Israel’s ongoing strategy to target media personnel and destroy the means through which Palestinians can share their story with the world. His killing reflected the peril faced by journalists who cover military operations in Gaza, where reporters are often caught in the crossfire.

5. Shireen Abu Akleh (2022)

Date: May 11, 2022

Details: Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist working for Al Jazeera, was shot and killed by Israeli forces while covering an Israeli military raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Though her death occurred in the West Bank, her killing deeply resonated in Gaza, where Palestinians saw it as a deliberate act to intimidate and silence journalists. Abu Akleh was wearing a press vest and helmet when she was shot in the head. Israel initially denied responsibility but later acknowledged that its forces might have been involved. This attack sparked international outrage and highlighted the dangers that journalists face in documenting Israeli military actions.

6. Waleed Al-Fahoum (2023)

Date: October 2023

Details: Waleed Al-Fahoum, a journalist with the Al-Quds TV channel, was killed by an Israeli missile during the military escalation in Gaza in October 2023. Al-Fahoum was covering an Israeli airstrike on a civilian area when the missile struck, killing him and several other civilians. This attack on a journalist further exemplified Israel’s disregard for press freedom and its deliberate targeting of media workers to prevent the truth from reaching the world. For Palestinians, Al-Fahoum's killing was another painful reminder of how journalists in Gaza continue to face direct attacks for their efforts to report on the situation.

7. Journalists Killed in Gaza (2024)

Date: January 2024

Details: During the military escalation in Gaza in early 2024, Ahmad Abu Sayeed and Firas Al-Khudari, both journalists working for local media outlets, were killed while covering Israeli airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. Both were struck by missiles during the Israeli bombardment, despite being clearly identifiable as members of the press. Palestinians saw these attacks as part of Israel’s broader strategy to intimidate and silence journalists, preventing them from documenting the suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza.

8. Journalists Killed in Gaza (2025)

Date: March 2025

Details: Two Palestinian journalists were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Hossam Shabat, a 23-year-old reporter for Al Jazeera, was killed on March 24, 2025, in an airstrike in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza. He had expressed concerns about being targeted by Israeli forces. His death highlighted the dangers journalists face in conflict zones. Mohammed Mansour, a journalist for Palestine Today, was also killed on March 24, 2025, when his home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, was struck by an Israeli airstrike. His wife and son were killed alongside him, underscoring the risks faced by media workers and civilians in Gaza.

Conclusion

These killings are seen as deliberate acts of suppression by Israel, aimed at silencing journalists who document the atrocities committed against Palestinian civilians. Journalists are not only targeted by Israeli forces but are also subjected to physical violence, intimidation and arrest. These attacks are part of a broader pattern of Israel’s efforts to control the narrative surrounding its occupation and military actions, preventing the international community from fully understanding the extent of the violence faced by Palestinians. The killing of these journalists is seen by Palestinians as a direct violation of their rights to freedom of the press and expression, as well as an attempt to undermine the role of media in holding Israel accountable for its actions.

These journalists, who risk their lives to report the truth from Gaza, have become symbols of resistance to oppression and the struggle for the right to tell the Palestinian story. Their deaths highlight the continuing efforts by Israel to suppress the voices that document the human rights abuses occurring in the region.

Sources:

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Al Jazeera

United Nations (UN) - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)

The Guardian

Reuters

Gaza Health Ministry

 Al Jazeera Share an infographic of 173 journalists killed in Gaza since Oct 2023: