Deadly Israeli Attack Targeted Journalists’ Tent Near Gaza Hospital
At least two Palestinian journalists were martyred and several others severely injured when an Israeli airstrike targeted a tent sheltering journalists near Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday morning.
Local health officials confirmed that the victims included Helmi al-Faqawi, a journalist, and Yusuf al-Khazandar, a young man who was in the area at the time of the strike.
The deadly assault came a day after a female Palestinian journalist, Islam Nasiruddin Meqdad, and her child were killed in an attack on a home in Khan Yunis.
Hamas Condemns Ongoing Targeting of Palestinian Journalists
Hamas resistance movement strongly condemned the “deliberate targeting of Palestinian journalists by Israeli occupation forces,” describing it as a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law.
Hamas lambasted the Israeli government for intentionally escalating such crimes in the face of international inaction, noting that the killing of more than 200 Palestinian journalists in Gaza reflects the occupying regime’s effort to silence the media and deter journalists from exposing the truth.
The group called on the international community, the United Nations, and its judicial bodies to intervene and hold the Israeli leadership accountable for these “unprecedented crimes against journalists in the history of modern conflicts.”
Hamas also urged global media organizations and press freedom institutions to denounce these attacks and intensify efforts to boycott and isolate ‘Israel’ in response to its systematic targeting of journalists and media workers.
Rocket Barrage Launched from Gaza Strikes Israeli port of Ashdod
The military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, launched a barrage of rockets targeting the Israeli port city of Ashdod on Sunday evening. The attack, which also impacted the nearby city of Ashkelon, resulted in multiple injuries among Israeli civilians.
According to the Qassam Brigades, the strikes were carried out in retaliation for “Israeli massacres against civilians.” Israeli media reported that several settlers were injured and transported to local hospitals.
Initial reports indicated a direct hit in Ashkelon, prompting an emergency response. Channel 13 later confirmed that three individuals were injured, while Channel 12 updated the figure to seven, all of whom were transferred to Barzilai Hospital. Extensive damage to buildings and vehicles was also noted.
In total, the Israeli occupation military stated that around ten rockets were fired from Gaza, with most being intercepted by air defense systems. However, it was confirmed that five rockets landed in various locations, triggering air raid sirens in Ashdod, Ashkelon, and the southern suburbs of Tel Aviv.