Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera journalists near Ismail Haniyeh's home in Gaza
An Israeli air strike near Ismail Haniyeh's home in Gaza killed two Al Jazeera journalists who were reporting on the Hamas leader's assassination in Iran.
Ismail al-Ghoul, a journalist for Al Jazeera Arabic, and cameraman Rami al-Refee were killed in the strike near the Aidia area west of Gaza City, the Qatar-based broadcaster reported.
"It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of our colleague journalist, Ismail Al-Ghoul, who was killed in an Israeli air strike while courageously covering the events in northern Gaza," Al Jazeera Managing Editor Mohamed Moawad wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Without Ismail, the world would not have seen the devastating images of these massacres," he wrote, adding that he "relentlessly covered the events and delivered the reality of Gaza to the world through Al Jazeera".
"His voice has now been silenced, and there is no longer a need to call out to the world. Ismail fulfilled his mission to his people and his homeland. Shame on those who have failed the civilians, journalists and humanity."
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According to the network, Ghoul and Refee were wearing blue press vests when they were killed and there were identifying signs on their car when they were attacked.
There was no immediate commen from Israel, which has previously denied targeting journalists in its 10-month war on Gaza, which has killed at least 39,445 people, the vast majority of whom were children and women.
According to Al Jazeera Arabic, the journalists had last contacted their news desk 15 minutes before the strike. During the call, they had reported a strike on a house near to where they were reporting and were told to leave immediately. They did, and were traveling to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital when they were killed.
Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran on Wednesday, just hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony for Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
This was the second high-profile Israeli assassination within hours, following a strike in Beirut that reportedly killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, heightening fears that the region is sliding towards a full-blown war.
In a statement the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it was "dismayed" by the news of Ghoul and Refee's killings.
"Journalists are civilians and should never be targeted," CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg said in a statement. "Israel must explain why two more Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in what appears to be a direct strike."
According to Palestinian government officials, Israel has killed more than 160 journalists in Gaza since the beginning of the war in October 2023.
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