Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah has been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, as press freedom groups warn the territory remains deadly for journalists.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES NEWS
Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah has been killed in an Israeli air strike in central Gaza, according to the Qatar-based broadcaster and Gaza health officials, further intensifying international concerns over the safety of journalists covering the conflict.
Wishah reportedly died on Saturday after what Al Jazeera described as an Israeli bombardment targeting a residential house in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.
The network strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “deliberate killing” and accusing Israel of systematically targeting media workers operating in Gaza.
The killing comes just two months after Ahmed’s brother, Mohammed Wishah, who also worked for Al Jazeera, was killed during Israeli shelling in the territory.
“Ahmed is the 12th Al Jazeera martyr in Gaza since October 2023,” the broadcaster said in an official statement, urging international legal institutions and the global community to hold Israeli officials accountable for attacks on journalists.
Later, the Israeli military confirmed Ahmed Wishah had been killed in what it described as a “precise strike” that also targeted two Hamas militants.
Israel alleged that Wishah was a “sniper operative” affiliated with Hamas while simultaneously working as a photojournalist for Al Jazeera. The Israeli army further claimed he had participated in planning sniper attacks against Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
However, Israeli authorities did not publicly provide evidence supporting the allegations.
The Israeli military has repeatedly denied intentionally targeting journalists during the Gaza war, although it has previously accused several Palestinian media workers of having links with militant organizations operating in the enclave.
The latest incident has once again renewed concerns among international press freedom organizations over the dangers journalists face while reporting from Gaza.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Gaza has become the deadliest place in the world for journalists in 2025.
The organization says more than 220 journalists have been killed since October 2023, with at least 70 reportedly dying while carrying out professional media duties.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes across Gaza reportedly killed at least 11 more Palestinians on Saturday, including two children and four members of the same family in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood.
Health officials said an overnight strike destroyed part of a residential apartment building belonging to the Al-Safadi family, killing the parents and their two daughters, aged four and 14.
Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza has continued despite a broader regional ceasefire framework involving Iran and Lebanon.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the ceasefire came into effect last October. Israel, meanwhile, says five of its soldiers have died during the same period.
International media organizations continue to face severe restrictions while operating inside Gaza, making independent verification of casualty figures and battlefield claims increasingly difficult.
