An Israeli air strike near the house of Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza resulted in the tragic deaths of two journalists who were reporting on the Hamas leader’s assassination in Iran. Ismail al-Ghoul, a journalist for Al Jazeera Arabic, and cameraman Rami al-Refee were killed in the attack near the Aidia area west of Gaza City. Their deaths were confirmed by Al Jazeera Arabic’s managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, on social media. Moawad praised Ismail’s dedication to covering the events in Gaza and delivering the reality of the situation to the world through Al Jazeera.
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran just hours after attending Iran’s new president’s swearing-in ceremony, coupled with the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut, has raised concerns about escalating tensions in the region. The death toll in Gaza continues to rise, with over 160 journalists and 39,000 Palestinians killed since the conflict began in October 2023.