Mon Apr 07 15:37:38 UTC 2025: ## Gaza Journalist Burned Alive in Targeted Strike on Media Tent
**Khan Younis, Gaza –** A freelance photographer witnessed the horrific burning death of a colleague in a targeted Israeli strike on a media tent outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Monday. Hilmi al-Faqaawi, a reporter for Palestine Today, and another man, Yousef al-Khazindar, were killed when the tent, housing several journalists, was directly hit. At least six other journalists sustained injuries.
Abed Shaat, a freelance photographer who was nearby, described a scene of intense fire and chaos as he attempted to rescue his burning colleague. He recounted the explosion, the rush to escape, and his unsuccessful struggle to pull al-Faqaawi from the flames before losing consciousness.
The Israeli army claimed the strike targeted Hassan Eslaih, a journalist they allege is a Hamas member. They stated they took measures to minimize civilian casualties, a claim disputed by witnesses and international observers given the location of the attack – a clearly marked media tent outside a major hospital where journalists had been based throughout the ongoing conflict. Eslaih, who has a significant social media presence, was severely injured in the attack. He had previously received threats from Israeli authorities for covering an attack on an Israeli kibbutz earlier in October.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate reports that over 200 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces since October 7th, 2023, making this the deadliest conflict ever for media workers. The group, along with Reporters Without Borders and the Samir Kassir Foundation, condemned the attack as a war crime and a deliberate attempt to suppress reporting on the conflict. They argue that Israel’s targeting of journalists aims to prevent coverage of potential war crimes and avoid accountability.
Shaat, deeply affected by the incident, expressed profound despair and questioned the value of their work in the face of such brutality. His account highlights the extreme danger faced by journalists covering the conflict in Gaza and the chilling pattern of attacks against the media. The incident further fuels international outrage over the escalating violence and the targeting of civilians, including journalists, in the ongoing conflict.
First Piper 