Israel-Hamas war: list of journalists killed in the line of duty in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon gets longer

Hassan Hamad, 19 years old, freelance journalist - 6 October 2024

One of the last journalists still working in the north of Gaza, Hassan Hamad was killed by an Israeli strike on October 6. According to witness accounts and a violent video published online, the journalist's body arrived “in pieces” at the Kamal Adwan hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip, following a strike on his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hassan Hamad was a freelance reporter. He worked with local media outlet Media Town that covers news for outlets including Al-Jazeera. Speaking to RSF, the organization's director Ashraf Mashharawi denounced a "targeted attack ” on the journalist, who had just returned home to transfer footage to the media outlet via his internet connection. “According to the journalist's brother,” says Ashraf Mashharawi, “the strike only hit Hassan Hamad's room, and directly hit the journalist's body.” 

Prior to the strike, the freelance reporter had been covering an Israeli incursion into the camp for Media Town, which began on Saturday night. According to his X account, his last messages were published shortly before his death.

In the preceding months, Hassan Hamad had told his colleagues and others that he had received threats in the form of an SMS message on his phone on May 13, 2024, and multiple phone calls asking him to leave the northern Gaza Strip or risk being killed. The young reporter refused to comply and continued to work until his last moments. In a photo taken before his death, the 19-year-old journalist carries the photo of his colleagues Ismael al-Ghoul and Rami al-Rifi, targeted and killed in an Israeli strike on July 31. The tragic death of Hassan Hamad marks the disappearance of one of the last rare sources of information in the north of the Gaza Strip. 

Ali Taimeh, 39 years old, Al Aoudeh, journalist - 26 August 2024

Ali Taimeh, 39, a veteran journalist, covered the Gaza Strip for years. He was killed while reporting on the afternoon of 26 August 2024 in Khan Younis, a city in central Gaza, when an Israeli strike targeted a civilian car nearby. Taimeh was reporting on the displaced Gazans west of Khan Younis.

Ibrahim Muhareb, freelance journalist, 26 years old - 18 august 2024 

Ibrahim Muhareb was part of a group of journalists on their way to Khan Younes on Sunday 18 August to cover the withdrawal of Israeli tanks from the village in central Gaza, when an Israeli tank opened fire on the group. One of the journalists hit, Salma al-Qaddoumi, managed to escape despite a back injury, but Ibrahim Muraheb fell to his death on the spot. Unable to reach him, his colleagues found him dead the next morning. A video recorded by their colleague Ezzedine Muasher and posted on his Instagram account shows a tank approaching at the end of a street facing the group. The tank then opens fire, and Ezzedine Muasher and a group of journalists, all wearing press vests, run for cover. In the video, Ezzedine Muasher asks where Salma and Ibrahim are. “We survived by a miracle”, he tells RSF.

Ismail al-Ghoul, Al Jazeera, 27 years old, journalist, and Rami al-Rifi,  27 years old, cameraman for Al Jazeera - 31 july 2024

Journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Rifi were reporting for Al Jazeera in the Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, when an Israeli strike targeted their car, killing them both, on July 31. Images released by their colleague Anas al-Sharif shortly after the strike, at around 4pm, show the two reporters killed inside a white car isolated in the middle of an empty street, visibly damaged by a direct hit. Anas Al-Sharif said the two reporters had been found decapitated. They were wearing their press vests, according to information gathered by RSF. The very next day, the Israeli army claimed to have targeted Ismail al-Ghoul, accusing him of being affiliated to Hamas. An investigation by RSF into this claim showed that the evidence was insufficient and inadequate.

Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Sharia, Shams News, journalist - 1st july 2024

Wearing a press vest and helmet, journalist Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Sharia was standing in front of his house in the Sabra district of western Gaza City, ready to leave on a mission, when he was hit by an Israeli bombardment on July 1, according to information gathered by RSF. Seriously wounded, he was transferred to the nearest hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later.

Mustafa Ayyad, freelance photojournalist - 6 May 2024

The young photojournalist worked with the Al Jazeera Live channel and its website. He was killed by an Israeli strike on his home in the Zeitoun district of northern Gaza on May 6, 2024. He died of serious injuries at al Maamadani hospital.

Ayman Mohamed El-Gharbaoui and Ibrahim Mohammad El-Gharbaoui, freelance photojournalists - 27 April 2024

Before the war, the al-Gharbawi brothers ran an artistic photography studio in Gaza. Faced with the growing number of journalists killed since October 7, and the media blackout imposed by Israeli forces in their neighborhood of Hamad in Khan Younes, Ayman and Ibrahim Mohamad al-Gharbawi decided to put their skills at the service of journalism. While filming the impact of strikes on their neighborhood on 27 April 2024, an Israeli strike killed them both, according to information gathered by RSF. The sound of a reconnaissance drone preceded the strike, according to Mediapart. It was one of their first reports from Gaza.

Yasser Mamdouh, Kanaan Press Agency, correspondent - 11 February 2024

Journalist Yasser Mamdouh was reporting on the presence of Israeli tanks near the Al-Nasser hospital in Khan Younès, in the south of the Gaza Strip. He was shot dead by an Israeli sniper as he tried to recover the body of a young man lying in front of the entrance to the medical complex.

Yazan Emad Al-Zwaidi, 27, Al-Ghad TV cameraman - 14 January 2024

Palestinian journalist Yazan Emad Al-Zwaidi, working for the Egyptian satellite news channel Al-Ghad TV, was killed by an Israeli strike targeting the group of civilians he was with while working in the north of the Gaza Strip, according to information gathered by RSF.

Ahmed Badir, Hadaf News, 30, journalist - 10 January 2024

Ahmed Badir, a journalist for the Hadaf News website, was reporting from the entrance to the Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza, when an Israeli strike killed him. Badir refused to leave his neighborhood in central Gaza, insisting on continuing his coverage of the war. Before 7 October, he regularly reported on the experiences of Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank.

Hamza al-Dahdouh, 29, Al Jazeera reporter,  and Moustafa Thuraya, freelance video reporter working for Agence France-Presse - 7 January 2024

These two journalists were returning from reporting in Khan Yunis when they were killed by what was a targeted Israeli rocket attack on their car in Rafah, according to the information obtained by RSF. A third journalist who was with them, Hazem Rajab, was badly injured. Hamza Wael Dahdouh was the son of Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh, who was himself injured by an Israeli strike in mid-December.

Mohamed Nasr Abu Huwaidi, Al-Istiklal, 29, photojournalist - 23 December 2023

Mohamed Nasr Abu Huwaidi was clearly identifiable by his press vest when he was killed by an Israeli bombardment on 23 December in the Chajaya district, in eastern Gaza City, where he had gone to film the aftermath of an Israeli strike. The 29-year-old journalist worked for the local daily Al-Istiklal.

Rami Bdeir, 34, New Press correspondent - 15 December 2023

New Press correspondent Rami Bdeir, was killed in an Israeli bombardment in Khan Younès as he tried to save other journalists hit by another bombardment on a school in the same area. The reporter was on hand to cover the strikes in the area.

Samer Abu Daqqa,  Al Jazeera cameraman - 15 December 2023

Samer Abu Daqqa,  a 45-year-old cameraman working for the international TV news channel Al Jazeera, died as a result of injuries caused by an Israeli strike while reporting in a Khan Yunis school with Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief  Wael Dahdouh, who was injured by the same strike.

Montaser Al-Sawaf, Anadolu Agency cameraman - 1 December 2023

Montaser Al-Sawaf, a Palestinian cameraman working for the Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency, was killed by an Israeli air strike shortly after the ceasefire, while standing outside his home with relatives. Seriously injured, he had to wait for an ambulance for more than half an hour before being taken to hospital, where he died after losing too much blood. A few days earlier, the journalist had already been injured in an air strike on his home.

Asem Al-Barsh, 34, Radio Al Najah -  21 November 2023

Radio journalist Asem Al-Barsh was killed by an Israeli army sniper in the Al-Saftawi area in the northern Gaza Strip as he was returning home from his job at the Palestinian radio station Al Najah on 21 November. As well as having worked for various local radio stations and helped to develop “Hawiya Podcast,” a podcast that aims to encourage dialogue and a diversity of viewpoints, he also taught radio journalism and podcast production to young journalism students on a voluntary basis. The studio he had in his home was destroyed by an Israeli bombardment shortly after 7 October.

Ayat Khadoura, independent blogger - 20 November 2023

Independent video blogger Ayat Khadoura had always covered life in Gaza but, since 7 October, she had been posting regular reports on the war’s impact on the enclosed territory. She continued to do her job until the end, despite the imminent danger. In the video she posted just before being killed by an Israeli strike, she says while crying: "My last message to the world. When will this war end? Who will tell the world what we went through and what we saw?”

Bilal Jadallah, 45, Press House-Palestine - 19 November 2023

The well-known Palestinian journalist Bilal Jadallah was killed by an Israeli strike that hit his car directly as he was trying to leave Gaza City via the district of Zeitoun on the morning of 19 November. He was a leading figure in the Palestinian media  and was chair of the board of directors of Press House-Palestine, an organisation that supports independent media in Gaza.

Hassouna Salim, 28, Quds News, and freelancer Sari Mansour, 32 - 18 November 2023

Hassouna Salim, the director of the Palestinian online news agency Quds News, and Sari Mansour, a freelance photo-journalist who was covering the war for Quds News, were killed during an Israeli attack on 18 November on the Bureij refugee camp, where they  lived, in the centre of the Gaza Strip. According to RSF’s information, Salim had received a death threat the day before for reasons linked to his journalistic work.

Ahmed Fatima, Al Qahera News, photojournalist - 14 November 2023

Ahmed Fatima, a photographer for the Egyptian online media Al Qahera News, was filming live near Al-Shifa hospital when an Israeli drone strike killed him instantly and injured a fellow journalist, according to RSF’s information.

Mohammed Abu Hatab, Palestine TV, correspondent - 2 November 2023

Mohammed Abu Hatab had just returned home from reporting live in the city of Khan Younis when an Israeli strike hit his house, killing the Gaza correspondent and 11 members of his family. The journalist from the local outlet Palestine TV regularly covered the war in the central Gaza Strip. An hour before the strike, he was reporting on the humanitarian situation at Nasser Hospital.

Roshdi Sarraj, 31, Ain Media - 22 October 2023

A co-founder of the Palestinian media production company Ain Media, Roshdi Sarraj had been a fixer for more than two years for the French public radio broadcaster Radio France. After being out reporting on 22 October, he was arriving at his home in Tal al-Hawa, a district in southwestern Gaza City, and was still wearing his press vest, when an Israeli airstrike hit his home, killing him and injuring his wife and daughter. Aged 31, Sarraj was also a fixer for the French regional daily Ouest-France.

Mohammed Fayez Abou Matar, 28, freelance photojournalist - 11 October 2023

Four days after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, freelance photo-journalist Mohammed Fayez Abou Matar was killed during an Israeli bombardment of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. He was covering the Israeli military attack on this southern area near the border crossing with Egypt for several international news agencies.

Hisham al-Nawajha, 27, and Saeed al-Tawil, 36, Al Khamisa, and Mohammed Soboh, Khabar - 10 October 2023

These three journalists were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit the Babel tower block in Gaza City  on 10 October. Photo-journalist Hisham al-Nawajha and his editor, Saeed al-Tawil, had evacuated the office of the Palestinian news website Al-Khamisa in the nearby Hajji tower block and had stationed themselves close to the Babel Tower to cover the pre-announced Israeli strike on their tower block. Al-Tawil was killed instantly while Al-Nawajha was badly injured and died after being rushed to Al-Shifa Hospital. Mohammed Soboh, a photo-journalist with the Palestinian news agency Khabar, was also killed instantly while covering Israel’s attack on the Hajji Tower from the Babel Tower. During the funeral ceremony for the three journalists in a Gaza City hospital a few hours later, helmets worn by press reporters were placed atop the white sheets covering their bodies as a tribute to their work as journalists.

Mohammad al-Salihi, 29, ​​Al-Sulta al-Rabia - 7 October 2023

On the first day of the war between Israel and Hamas, Mohammad al-Salihi was killed by an Israeli strike although he was identifiable as a journalist by his helmet and vest labelled “press.” He was covering the start of the fighting in the district of Bureij, on the Gaza Strip’s eastern border, for the Palestinian news agency Al-Sulta al-Rabia. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed his death a few hours later.

Ibrahim Lafi, 21, Ain Media - 7 October 2023

A photojournalist with the Ain Media production company, Ibrahim Lafi was one of the first reporters to venture out in Gaza on the morning of 7 October to cover what was happening. He was killed by an Israeli strike although he was wearing a “press” vest and was holding a camera. Aged 21 and in the final year of a journalism course, he had already worked as a fixer for foreign media, including the French weekly Politis.

Mohammad Jarghoun, 23, Smart Media - 7 October 2023

This 23-year-old reporter working for the Smart Media production company was killed by Israeli fire while covering fighting near the Rafah crossing point in the south of the Gaza Strip on 7 October.

Farah Omar and Rabih al-Maamari, Al Mayadeen - 21 November 2023

Two journalists with the conservative pro-Hezbollah media outlet Al-Mayadeen, reporter Farah Omar and photographer Rabih al-Maamari, were killed on 21 November by an Israeli bombardment on the town of Tayr Harfa, in southern Lebanon, the national news agency ANI reported. They were killed while covering violence along the border with Israel.

Issam Abdallah, 37, Reuters - 13 October 2023

He was the first journalist to be killed outside of Israel and Palestine. According to an investigation by RSF, the spot in southern Lebanon where Issam Abdallah, a photographer with the Reuters news agency, and six other journalists (with Reuters, Agence France-Presse and Al Jazeera) had gathered was targeted by two consecutive strikes coming from the east, from the direction of the Israeli border. The journalists had been out in the open for more than an hour and were all wearing helmets and vests marked "press."

Roee Idan, 43, Ynet - 7 October 2023

Initially reported missing, Roee Idan was finally added to the list of fatal victims after his body was discovered and identified on 20 October. A photographer for the Israeli news outlet Ynet, this 43-year-old journalist was killed while covering the atrocities that Hamas committed during its deadly raid on the Kfar Aza kibbutz in southwestern Israel. His last photos, taken a few minutes before his death, were published by Ynet.