Palestinian Territories – The Palestinian Journalists Protection Center (PJPC) strongly condemns the horrific Israeli attack on a journalists’ tent near the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, which took place at dawn on Monday. The strike resulted in the killing of journalist Helmi Al-Faqaawi and left nine other journalists injured.
According to PJPC’s ongoing monitoring, an Israeli warplane deliberately targeted the tent where journalists had gathered to cover unfolding events, in a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
The journalists wounded in the attack have been identified as: Ahmad Mansour, Hassan Islayeh, Ahmad Al-Agha, Mohammed Fayeq, Abdullah Al-Attar, Ihab Al-Bardini, Mahmoud Awad, Majed Qudeih, and Ali Islayeh.
Under Article 79 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, civilian journalists reporting from conflict zones are regarded as protected persons and must not be targeted. This strike also constitutes a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015), which underscores the obligation to safeguard journalists in areas of armed conflict.
With the killing of Al-Faqaawi, the number of journalists killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza since the onset of the war on October 7, 2023, has risen to approximately 211—a staggering and unprecedented figure in the history of modern warfare. This alarming toll raises serious questions about the international community’s commitment to the protection of journalists in conflict zones.
PJPC emphasizes that the deliberate targeting of journalists constitutes a war crime and reflects a broader, systematic pattern of grave human rights violations committed by Israel against civilians—especially journalists—who are entitled to protection under international humanitarian law.
The Center reiterates its urgent call on the international community to fulfill its moral and legal responsibilities by ensuring the protection of journalists and enabling them to carry out their duties without hindrance, in accordance with the principles of press freedom and relevant international conventions.
PJPC also urges the international community to open an immediate and transparent investigation into this tragic incident and to hold those responsible accountable. The Center calls for urgent action to uphold journalists’ protection under international law.
