Gaza, Aug 20: A journalist in Gaza, Ibrahim Muharab, was reportedly killed by Israeli fire on Sunday, as confirmed by the Gaza Health Ministry and the Palestinian Daily News, where Muharab worked. The incident occurred in the southern city of Khan Yunis, a region frequently embroiled in conflict.
Muharabās body was recovered and taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on Monday, where the health ministry reported his death. According to the Palestinian Daily News, Muharab was among a group of journalists caught in shelling allegedly carried out by Israeli forces. The site where his body was found, Hamad City, a large apartment complex constructed by Qatar, has been largely reduced to ruins.
Two other journalists who were with Muharab at the time sustained injuries and were also transported to Nasser Hospital. An AFP journalist on the ground reported the scene, highlighting the dangers faced by media professionals in conflict zones.
Videos circulating online, which AFP has not independently verified, show an Israeli armored vehicle approaching the Hamas-controlled neighborhood as gunfire erupts. A man identified as Muharab, wearing a jacket marked “Press,” is seen fleeing from the shots. The video captures a moment where a voice can be heard saying, “Ibrahim is wounded, where is he?”
In response to the incident, the Israeli army stated that it does not deliberately target journalists, emphasizing that they would require specific geographic coordinates and identification to comment further on the case.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned what they referred to as Muharab’s “assassination,” accusing the Israeli army of conducting an “organized campaign to kill journalists” in Gaza. The syndicate, along with other media organizations, expressed concerns over the increasing dangers journalists face in the region.
This incident marks a tragic moment in what the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has identified as the “deadliest period for journalists” since it began tracking such data in 1992. The CPJ reported that at least 113 journalists and media workers have been killed since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The death of Muharab highlights the ongoing risks for journalists covering the conflict, as tensions continue to escalate in the region.