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       Hundreds of journalists have reportedly been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, making it one of the deadliest ever conflicts for the profession.

       The latest figures from Palestinian authorities say that at least 245 journalists have died in Gaza in the nearly two-year conflict. The death toll has continued to mount in recent months as Israel’s attacks in the war-torn territory have escalated.

       On Monday, five journalists, including Independent Arabia’s Maryam Abu Daqqa, were among the 20 people killed in an Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital which has sparked widespread international condemnation.

       The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says Gaza has the highest number of journalist deaths since the organisation started gathering data in 1992 and in April, Brown University’s Watson Institute declared the war was “quite simply, the worst ever conflict for reporters”.

       Maryam Abu Daqqa, Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, Al Jazeera photographer Mohammed Salama, NBC journalist Moaz Abu Taha, and Ahmad Abu Aziz; a journalist with Palestinian youth news agency Quds Feed Network, all died following a double tap strike on Khan Younis’ Nasser Medical Complex, the largest remaining hospital in southern Gaza.

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       Abu Daqqa was described as a ‘courageous correspondent’(Independent Arabia)

       Independent Arabiasaid it “mourns its courageous correspondent” who left behind an 11-year-old son and worked around the clock to report on the war in Gaza. Just days before she had covered doctors treating children for starvation. The publication also condemned Israel’s “flagrant violation of international laws that guarantee the protection of journalists”.

       In a joint letter to Israel, AP and Reuters said: “We are outraged that independent journalists were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law," it said. "These journalists were present in their professional capacity, doing critical work bearing witness.”

       The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate accused Israel of deliberating targeting journalists. “This heinous crime represents a dangerous escalation in the direct and deliberate targeting of Palestinian journalists and confirms without a shadow of a doubt that the occupation is waging an open war on free media, with the aim of terrorizing journalists and preventing them from carrying out their professional mission of exposing its crimes to the world,” a spokesperson said.

       UK foreign minister David Lammy said he was “horrified by Israel’s attack on Nasser hospital. Civilians, healthcare workers and journalists must be protected. We need an immediate ceasefire.”

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       Hussam Al-Masri, a cameraman for Reuters, also died in the attack on Nasser Hospital(REUTERS)

       US President Donald Trump said of the incident: “I'm not happy about it. I don't want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare.”

       The EU Commission has called the attack on Nasser hospital “completely unacceptable”, with a spokesperson adding: “Civilians and journalists must be protected under international law.”

       Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the incident a “tragic mishap”, before saying: “Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home.”

       Israel has previously denied targeting journalists and said it does everything it can to avoid harming civilians.

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       Al-Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif reports near the Arab Ahli (Baptist) Hospital in Gaza City(AFP/Getty)

       The incident follows the death of six journalists just two weeks ago in an Israeli airstrike which sparked similar outrage.

       Prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al Sharif, 28, was targeted and killed after being accused of leading a Hamas cell and involved in rocket attacks against Israel by the military, claims denied by Al Jazeera.

       Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal were named as the other journalists killed in the strike on a tent near Al Shifa Hospital, east of Gaza City, according to Gaza officials and Al Jazeera. On Monday a sixth journalist, Mohammad Al-Khaidi, was reported to have died from the same attack.

       The news agency called Al-Sharif “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists” and condemned the attack as a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza.”

       The Israeli Defence Force claimed that Al-Sharif was a “Hamas terrorist” posing as an Al Jazeera journalist.

       “Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and advanced rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the statement said. “Intelligence and documents from Gaza, including rosters, terrorist training lists and salary records, prove he was a Hamas operative integrated into Al Jazeera. A press badge isn’t a shield for terrorism.”

       Human rights organisations and news agencies have condemned Israel as the number of journalists killed in Gaza since the war began has steadily increased.

       CPJ regional director Sara Qudah said: “Israel’s pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom.

       “Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable.”

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       Al-Ghoul was 27 years old when he was killed(Al Jazeera)

       Early on in the war, Belgian-Palestinian cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa was killed in an Israeli missile strike on a school that also injured Al Jazeera bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh on 15 December 2023.

       Al-Dahdouh’s son, journalist Hamza al-Dahdouh, was killed by an airstrike on their vehicle less than a month later on 7 January 2023. The CPJ would later brand Hamza Al-Dahdouh’s death a murder.

       Abu Daqqa’s death was submitted to the International Criminal Court as a complaint against Israel over the killing of seven Palestinian journalists.

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       Journalist Hamza Al-Dahdouh , the son of veteran Al Jazeera reporter Wael Al-Dahdouh (second right), was killed in a previous airstrike in 2023(Getty Images)

       Ismail Al-Ghoul, another Al Jazeera correspondent, died on 31 July 2024 in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Al-Shati refugee camp.

       The IDF accused Al-Ghoul of taking part in the October 7 attack, which was again disputed by Al Jazeera.

       Dismissing the claims, a spokesperson for the news outlet said at the time: “The network condemns the accusations against its correspondent Ismail Al-Ghoul, without providing any proof, documentation or video.”

       Foreign journalists have been blocked from entering the war-torn strip, which Freedom To Report has denounced as “not just a humanitarian blackout, it is an information blackout that undermines the public’s right to know and journalism’s democratic function to hold power accountable.”

       As criticism mounts, Israel has said it it looking at allowing foreign media into Gaza to verify activities in the war-torn Strip.

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       Palestinians inspect the destroyed tent where journalists, were killed by an Israeli airstrike outside the Gaza City's Shifa hospital complex(Copyright 2025, The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

       “I’ve ordered, directed the military to bring in foreign journalists, more foreign journalists – a lot,” Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Times of Israel, adding the order went out two days previously and was subject to security considerations to ensure journalist safety.

       BBC News joined Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP) and Reuters in releasing a statement condemning the starvation of journalists in the strip at the end of July.

       The full statement read: "We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families.

       "For many months, these independent journalists have been the world's eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering,” the news organisations said, adding: "Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in warzones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them.

       "We once again urge the Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of Gaza. It is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there."