Palestinian journalist Helmi Al-Faqaawi was killed and nine others were injured when Israeli occupation warplanes bombed a tent designated for journalists near Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
The attack sparked a fire inside the media tent, worsening the humanitarian situation and raising the number of casualties amid dire conditions and a severe shortage of medical supplies needed to treat the wounded.
A widely circulated video showed flames engulfing the body of journalist Ahmad Mansour, as his colleagues desperately tried to extinguish the fire to no avail. He sustained severe and life-threatening burns.
Targeting journalists while they report on armed conflicts constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which obligates all warring parties to distinguish between military and civilian targets and grants journalists special protection under the Geneva Conventions.
Despite growing calls from human rights organisations to investigate these violations, the Israeli occupation continues to target media professionals with impunity — aided by international complacency and silence from institutions responsible for protecting press freedom and human rights.
On April 1, the Government Media Office in Gaza announced that the number of Palestinian journalists killed since the start of the ongoing genocide on October 7, 2023, has risen to 209 — making it the deadliest war for journalists in modern history.
The targeting has not been limited to individuals. The Israeli occupation has systematically destroyed the media infrastructure in Gaza — including newspaper offices, satellite TV stations, and local radio headquarters — in a deliberate attempt to suppress the truth and obstruct coverage of crimes committed against civilians.
Although Palestinian resistance forces abided by the ceasefire agreement reached on January 19, Israel resumed its attacks on March 18, disregarding international efforts to halt the war.
Israeli forces continue to commit atrocities against civilians with unwavering U.S. support, in blatant defiance of United Nations resolutions, which have failed to materialise into any meaningful action on the ground.
As the number of victims continues to rise daily, the international community remains limited to issuing condemnations, without taking concrete steps to hold Israel accountable. This ongoing lack of accountability emboldens Israel to persist in targeting civilians and journalists, in gross violation of the principles of justice and human rights.
