Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Hospital Kills Four Journalists, Wounds Three

An Israeli airstrike on the courtyard of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza on Thursday, June 5, killed four Palestinian journalists and injured three others, in what rights groups are calling a targeted attack on members of the press.

The journalists were working under a tent in the hospital’s courtyard when the strike hit directly. Among the dead were Ismail Badah, a cameraman for Palestine Today TV; Suleiman Hajjaj, an editor at the same outlet; Samir al-Rifai of Shams News Agency; and Ahmed Qaljah, a cameraman for Al-Arabi TV, who later died from his injuries. Those wounded included Imad Daloul, a correspondent for Palestine Today TV; Imam Badr, a cameraman for Al-Arabi TV; and Mahmoud al-Ghazi, editor at Al-Aqsa Network.

The strike drew immediate condemnation from press freedom organizations and humanitarian observers, who described it as a violation of international humanitarian law. According to Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC), the attack occurred in a clearly marked civilian area and amounted to what the group called a "massacre of journalists."

“This was a direct and deliberate attack on civilian journalists operating in a protected area,” said a spokesperson for the organization. “It is part of a broader pattern of targeting media workers in Gaza.”

Since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7, 2023, at least 226 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces, according to WJWC figures. The group says the current death toll surpasses the combined number of journalists killed during World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War, making it the deadliest period for journalists in modern history.

Rights monitors say the killings are not limited to journalists alone but extend to their families as part of what they describe as a broader campaign of collective punishment. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 54,677 people have been killed in the territory since the beginning of the war, including over 4,400 civilians since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18.

In an October 2024 report marking one year since the war began, Women Journalists Without Chains documented what it called “the extermination of journalists” in Gaza. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and WJWC president Tawakkol Karman described the killings as systematic and intentional.

"These are not isolated incidents or unfortunate accidents. They are part of a calculated effort to silence independent reporting and eliminate witnesses to war crimes," she said.

Thursday’s strike also reignited scrutiny of Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid. In recent weeks, more than 600 civilians have been killed or injured near food distribution points in Gaza, including at least 30 people who died in a single aid-related incident. Human rights experts say the mechanisms imposed by Israeli forces have turned aid centers into deadly traps for starving civilians.

Multiple international conventions classify journalists as civilians entitled to protection in conflict zones. Article 79 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions (1977) prohibits targeting journalists unless they take a direct part in hostilities. The courtyard of a hospital is considered a doubly protected zone under international humanitarian law, both as a civilian area and a medical facility.

Calls are growing for international legal action. Press freedom groups and human rights organizations have urged the International Criminal Court to accelerate investigations into attacks on journalists and to consider sanctions against Israeli military and political leaders responsible for violations.

As the war enters its 21st month, journalists in Gaza continue to operate under extreme risk, with limited access to protective equipment, communications, or medical care. International media remain barred from entering the territory under an Israeli ban that has been in place since October 2023.

Despite mounting international criticism, there are no indications that Israel intends to lift its media restrictions or alter its military tactics in the besieged enclave.