As violence escalates in Gaza, Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Hossam Shabat was killed today in an Israeli airstrike targeting his car in Jabalia.
Shabat, aged 23, is among several journalists who have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict, as well as Mohamed Mansour, a correspondent for the TV channel Palestine Today, who was killed in a separate airstrike south of Khan Younis on Monday, 24 March.
Al Jazeera Media Network has issued a strong condemnation of the attack, reiterating its commitment to pursue legal action against those responsible for the killing of journalists.
The network highlighted that more than 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the conflict intensified in October 2023.
Al Jazeera expressed its condolences to Shabat’s family and called on human rights organizations to denounce the systematic targeting of journalists under international humanitarian law.
The non-profit organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also condemned these killings and urged the international community to act swiftly to ensure the safety of journalists in conflict zones.
The CPJ noted that attacks on journalists are illegal, as they are considered civilians during wartime.
The recent airstrikes coincide with a broader military operation by Israeli forces, which resumed following a ceasefire violation earlier this month. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that military operations will continue until hostages are released.
As of Sunday, 23 March, the ongoing operations have resulted in at least 673 deaths in Gaza, raising urgent concerns about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
In light of this, Egypt has proposed a new plan to restore the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The proposal suggests that Hamas release five Israeli captives each week, while Israel would begin implementing the second phase of the ceasefire deal after the first week.
Reports indicate that both the US and Hamas have agreed to the terms, but Israel has not yet responded. Additionally, the proposal includes a timeline for the release of all captives in exchange for a timeline for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza, supported by US guarantees.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported on Sunday 23 March that over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 113,000 wounded since Israel’s attacks began following the Hamas-led assault on 7 October, 2023.
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