Two Palestinian journalists killed in airstrikes, total rises to 208

Two more Palestinian journalists have been killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Local authorities reported that with these casualties, the number of media workers killed in the war that began in October 2023 has reached 208. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international organization working for the safety of journalists, strongly condemned these killings and called for an independent international investigation.

The two slain journalists are: 1. Hosam Shabat – He was a reporter for the Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera Mubasher. He was killed when Israeli forces launched an airstrike targeting his car in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. 2. Mohammad Mansour – He was a journalist for the Beirut-based Palestine Today TV, a media outlet known to be affiliated with Islamic Jihad. He was killed in an Israeli attack on his own home in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

A statement issued by Palestine Today TV said that Mansour's wife and infant child were also killed in the attack. The Government Media Office in Gaza stated in a release that Israel, the United States, and their allies the United Kingdom, Germany, and France are entirely responsible for these attacks. The statement said, "This is a brutal crime. The international community and relevant organizations must take effective measures to stop the ongoing genocide and ensure the safety of journalists and media workers."

Condemning the killings, CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna said, "How much longer will we keep mourning journalists killed in Gaza? This nightmare must end. The international community must take swift action to ensure journalists are safe and to hold Israel accountable for these killings. Journalists are civilians, and targeting them on the battlefield is completely illegal."