Five Palestinian journalists were killed outside a hospital in an Israeli attack. In the Gaza Strip overnight, the health ministry said early Thursday. The Israeli army says the five militants were journalists
The attack struck a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the Nusrat refugee camp built in the central part of the region. The journalists were working for the local news agency Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group.
Islamic Jihad is a small but close ally of Hamas, and participated in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the conflict. The Israeli military identified four of the men as warring propagandists and said intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives received by troops in Gaza, confirmed that all five men He was associated with this group.
In addition to their armed wings, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups also operate political, media and charitable activities.
Associated Press footage showed the charred shell of the van, with press marks still visible on its rear doors. A number of young people attended the funeral outside the hospital, many of whom were crying. All the bodies were wrapped in white shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the conflict. Israel has not allowed foreign journalists to enter Gaza except for military embeds.
Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network. Accused six journalists from Gaza Being militant. The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence coverage of the conflict, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations.
Also, the army said a 35-year-old reservist was killed during fighting in central Gaza on Thursday morning. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the ground operation began a year ago.
The conflict began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise cross-border attack on nearby military bases and farming communities. They killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped about 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom have been killed.
According to the Ministry of Health, more than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air and ground operations. It said more than half of the casualties were women and children, but did not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants without providing evidence.
The attack has caused widespread destruction and displaced 90 percent of the population of 2.3 million. Hundreds of thousands are packed in tented tents along the beach, With little protection from cold, wet winters.
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