’Israeli’ Strike Kills Palestinian Photojournalist, Raising Gaza Press Death Toll to 250

By Staff, Agencies

A Palestinian photojournalist has been killed in an "Israeli" airstrike on Gaza, local authorities confirmed Monday, marking the latest attack on reporters in the besieged enclave.

Officials said Osama Ahmed Balousha died when "Israeli" occupation forces struck his family home in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood early Monday. His death brings the number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 to 250.

In recent weeks, several deadly "Israeli" strikes have targeted media personnel. On August 25, five journalists — including staff from Al Jazeera, Reuters, and The Independent Arabic — were killed in a “double-tap” strike on Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza.

Last month, another airstrike killed six journalists sheltering near al-Shifa Hospital, among them Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif.

"Israel" continued to block foreign journalists from entering Gaza, leaving Palestinian reporters as the sole direct sources of coverage from within the war zone.

The Federation of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the killings, calling them a violation of international law and an assault on press freedom aimed at suppressing the truth.