In a harrowing 24-hour period, Israeli airstrikes have killed five Palestinian journalists across the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of media professionals killed since October 7, 2023, to 222. The wave of targeted attacks against press workers marks yet another grim milestone in what many Palestinians describe as a war of extermination.

Among those killed was journalist Abdul Rahman Tawfiq Al-Abadla, whose body was found in Al-Qarara, east of Khan Younis, after two days of silence. In the Sanabel displacement camp, journalist Ahmed Al-Zinati, his wife Nour Al-Madhoun, and their two young sons were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck their tent near the Kuwaiti field hospital.

Photojournalist Aziz Al-Hajjar also lost his life alongside his wife and children when their home was bombed in the Al-Suffa area of northern Gaza City. In Deir Al-Balah, journalist Nour Qandeel, her husband journalist Khaled Abu Saif, and their daughter were all killed when their home was targeted.

These attacks, often launched against journalists sheltering with their families, underscore what Palestinian officials and human rights groups have long warned: that Israel is systematically targeting journalists to silence voices documenting the unfolding atrocities.

International humanitarian law mandates the protection of journalists during armed conflict, yet the deliberate targeting of media workers—whether in the field or in their homes—continues unabated. The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that 101 people were killed across Gaza since dawn today, including 45 in the northern and central regions.

As Israeli forces escalate their operations across the besieged territory—particularly in Khan Younis—the number of civilian casualties continues to rise, pushing Gaza deeper into what rights groups have called an unprecedented humanitarian and journalistic blackout.