Israel Bombs Journalists As New Report Marks Grim Milestone For Gaza's Press

The deadly strike burned some media workers alive, days after a report found more journalists have been killed in Gaza's crisis than in most major wars combined.

Israeli forces bombed a tent full of Palestinian media workers on Monday in Gaza, killing at least two and wounding nine more — just days after a new report concluded that more journalists have been killed in the territory’s crisis than in most other major wars combined.

An Israeli strike hit the media tent overnight near a hospital in Khan Younis, setting it ablaze and killing Palestine Today journalist Helmi Al-Faqawi, according to local media. Reports have also identified civilian Yousef Al-Khazandar as the second person killed in the strike.

Gruesome footage taken and shared online by other journalists shows a man burning alive in the tent while some witnesses try putting out the fire. The man, now identified as Palestine Today editor Ahmad Mansour, is still alive but in critical condition with “catastrophic burns,” according to Quds Network.

In addition to Mansour, the Monday strike reportedly wounded freelance photographer Hassan Aslih, Alam24 photographer Ali Aslih, Anadolu photographer Abdallah Al-Attar, BBC Arabic contributor Ahmad Al-Agha, freelance photojournalist Mohammed Fayeq, ABC News cameraman Ihab Al-Bardini, Al Jazeera cameraman Mahmoud Awad and Radio Algerie correspondent Majid Qudeih.

The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate said it “appeals to all human rights organizations, as well as institutions dedicated to press freedom and freedom of expression worldwide, and all media organizations, to expose to the world the horrific massacres and atrocities being committed by the Israeli occupation forces against journalists in Gaza – crimes that rank among the most heinous in the history of journalism.”