Media reports Israel murdering five reporters in single Gaza attack

(MENAFN) Five Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday while reporting near Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza. According to their news outlet, Al-Quds Today, the journalists were sleeping in their van in front of the hospital when it was hit by an Israeli missile. The vehicle, clearly marked with "press" and "TV" on the back, was engulfed in flames after the attack.

The journalists had been covering events in the Nuseirat refugee camp when the strike occurred. Witnesses reported that one of the journalists' wives was giving birth inside the hospital at the time. Al-Quds Today condemned the attack, saying its employees were killed while carrying out their journalistic duties.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike but claimed it targeted a vehicle carrying terrorists from the Islamic Jihad group, asserting that the strike was based on intelligence. However, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) did not provide evidence to support this claim.

This incident adds to a growing death toll of journalists in Gaza, with at least 55 journalists killed in the region this year, according to the International Federation of Journalists. The conflict has resulted in over 45,000 Palestinian deaths since it began in October 2023.

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