Palestinian Journalist Amal Shamali Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza
Palestinian journalist Amal Shamali, who worked as a correspondent for Qatar Radio, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) confirmed Shamali's death, emphasizing her dedication to reporting despite the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. Shamali had collaborated with several Arab and local media outlets, continuing her work amidst the violence.
The PJS highlighted the perilous conditions for journalists in Gaza, noting that more than 270 journalists and media workers have been killed since Israel launched a military campaign against Palestinians in response to Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This period has been marked as one of the deadliest for journalists, with the PJS accusing Israel of deliberately targeting Palestinian journalism to suppress documentation of the conflict.
In response to Shamali's death, Gaza's Government Media Office condemned what it described as the systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists by Israeli forces. The office held Israel, the US, and other countries accountable for these actions, calling on international media and human rights organizations to denounce the violence against journalists and hold Israel accountable.
According to Shireen.ps, a monitoring website, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of approximately 13 journalists per month over the past two years. The conflict in Gaza has become the deadliest for journalists, surpassing the number of journalists killed in major historical conflicts combined, as reported by Brown University's Costs of War project.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported that Palestine was the deadliest place for journalists in 2025, with the Middle East being the most dangerous region for media professionals. The IFJ recorded 74 journalist deaths in the Middle East last year, accounting for more than half of the global total of 128 journalist fatalities.
Since a ceasefire brokered by the US and Qatar in October, 640 Palestinians have been killed and at least 1,700 wounded, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 72,123 Palestinians and injuries to 171,805 people since October 2023, while 1,139 people were killed in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel.