A Palestinian journalist was killed and nine others wounded in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a tent used by members of the local press near a hospital in southern Gaza, according to medics and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. The attack occurred early Monday morning in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
The slain journalist, Helmy al-Faqawi, was reportedly inside the tent—designated as a workspace for local reporters—when the strike hit. Video footage from the aftermath showed flames engulfing the area, as people attempted to extinguish the fire using buckets of water and fire extinguishers. The charred remains of broadcasting equipment and furniture were visible among the ruins.
Reuters verified the location based on identifiable features of nearby buildings and tents, though the exact timing was corroborated through additional media reports and eyewitness videos. Unverified footage shared on social media showed one journalist engulfed in flames and another desperately trying to pull him to safety.
According to Gaza-based medical officials, a second Palestinian was also killed in the attack, though their identity has not been released. Several of the wounded are in critical condition, raising fears of a higher casualty toll.
The Israeli military has not issued an official statement regarding the strike or the presence of journalists in the targeted area. Requests for comment from Israeli authorities have so far gone unanswered.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation. In the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs labeled the strike an act of “extra-judicial killing,” accusing Israel of deliberately targeting journalists in an effort to suppress coverage of the ongoing war in Gaza.
Helmy al-Faqawi’s funeral was held later on Monday, attended by dozens of colleagues, friends, and family members. His body was carried through the streets on a stretcher, draped in a white shroud with his blue “PRESS” flak jacket laid atop. Fellow journalist Abd Shaat described waking up to the sound of the explosion and finding their colleagues’ media tent engulfed in flames.
“We will continue to deliver the message and convey the truth to the whole world. This is our humanitarian duty,” Shaat said.
Faqawi’s death brings the number of journalists killed in Gaza since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023 to over 210, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. The group has repeatedly warned of the growing danger to media personnel operating in the enclave.
Gaza health authorities reported that Israeli strikes across the Strip killed at least 20 people on Monday alone, as Israel continues its large-scale offensive in response to the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. According to Israeli sources, those attacks killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 others.
Palestinian officials now estimate that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict.
