On Thursday, in southern Gaza, a correspondent from Palestine TV and 11 members of his family tragically lost their lives. According to the Palestinian Authority-operated television network, they were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The correspondent, Mohammad Abu Hattab, had been conducting a live on-air report on Thursday night near Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Approximately half an hour later, when he had returned home, the correspondent and his family were killed, as reported by his network.

The tragic death of Mohammad Abu Hattab deeply affected his newsroom. A fellow Palestine TV journalist, Salman Al Bashir, emotionally reported on the situation on live television, moving one of the anchors to tears. Al Bashir expressed the extreme hardships faced by journalists in Gaza and the lack of international protection. He emphasised that their safety gear, including helmets and vests with “PRESS” markings, did not offer the expected protection for journalists. Al Bashir also highlighted the devastating toll that Israel’s prolonged bombardment of Gaza had taken on its Palestinian residents.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been especially deadly for journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least 33 journalists have lost their lives since October, making it one of the most lethal periods for journalists in decades.