Palestinian journalist killed in Gaza, bringing the Palestinian casualty count to 195
A Palestinian journalist has reportedly been killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, according to a Palestinian rights organization. This incident adds to the growing number of fatalities recorded since the commencement of Israeli military operations in the region in early October of the previous year.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Forum reported that Mohammed Ba’lousha, a journalist working for the privately owned al-Mashhad channel, which operates out of Lebanon and Dubai, was killed on Saturday. The incident occurred when an Israeli drone conducted a strike in the Gaza region.
The non-governmental organization has strongly criticized what it describes as the “international silence and failure” to safeguard Palestinian journalists and secure their capacity to carry out their professional responsibilities in line with international laws and humanitarian conventions.
According to local sources, a quadcopter operated by Israeli forces reportedly targeted the residence of Ba’lousha located on Ahmed Yassin Street in the Al-Saftawi neighborhood, situated to the north of Gaza City.
Ba’lousha sustained injuries on December 12, 2023, due to an incident involving an Israeli sniper.
The remains of a Palestinian journalist were transported to the Sheikh Radwan Clinic, located northwestern of Gaza City.
On Thursday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement accusing Israeli military forces of having perpetrated what it described as a “massacre” against Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip. The organization reported an unprecedented number of fatalities among media professionals in the region.
A recent annual report from a media freedom organization has disclosed that the Israeli military was responsible for the deaths of 18 journalists this year. The report specifies that two of these journalists were killed in Lebanon, while 16 were killed in Gaza, raising significant concerns about the safety of journalists operating in these conflict zones.
RSF has characterized the toll, which accounts for roughly one-third of the global total of 54, as “an unprecedented massacre.”
According to a recent report by the organization, Palestine has emerged as the most perilous nation for journalists, reporting a higher number of fatalities than any other country over the past five years. The report encompasses data collected up to December 1.
According to the report, over 145 journalists have lost their lives at the hands of the Israeli military in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023. Among these casualties, 35 journalists were killed in the line of duty.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has announced it possesses substantial evidence indicating that numerous journalists in Gaza and Lebanon have been specifically targeted because of their professional duties. The organization further stated that it has filed four complaints of war crimes against the Israeli military with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Journalists reporting from the Gaza Strip face increased dangers amid escalating conflict, particularly due to Israeli ground operations and airstrikes. These challenges are compounded by disrupted communications, supply shortages, and power outages.
On October 7, 2023, Israel, supported by the United States and its Western allies, initiated military operations in Gaza. This move followed an offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas, termed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which was conducted in retaliation to what it described as Israel’s long-standing policy of oppression towards Palestinians.
The ongoing military offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of approximately 44,930 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, with injuries sustained by an additional 106,624 individuals. Furthermore, thousands of people remain unaccounted for, feared to be trapped or deceased beneath the debris.
