Israel kills Palestinian journalist in Gaza, raising media worker death toll to 152

A Palestinian journalist was killed by Israeli bombing on Thursday, raising the number of media workers killed in Israel’s war on Gaza to 152, according to Gaza government's media office. 

In a statement via Telegram, Palestinian broadcaster Al-Aqsa TV identified the deceased as Salim al Sharafa, who worked as a journalist and presenter for the channel. 

However, Al-Aqsa TV did not provide details on how or where the journalist was killed. 

"We pray to Allah for mercy, acceptance, and paradise for our martyred colleagues, and for patience and solace for their families and the Palestinian media community," Al-Aqsa TV said in its statement. 

On Monday, Gaza’s government media office announced the killing of another Palestinian journalist, Mahmoud Qasem, who worked for a local news site. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), as of Thursday, has a lower figure of 103 Palestinian journalists confirmed killed due to investigations into cases still ongoing.

The media watchdog has also warned that the months-long Israeli assault on the Palestinian enclave has led to multiple cases of attacks, arrests, threats, and censorship against Palestinian journalists. 

Meanwhile, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs in Gaza says the number of detainees held by Israeli forces since October has risen to 9,000, including 300 women, 635 children and 80 journalists. 

The group highlighted cases of torture and harsh prison conditions in which prisoners were forcibly living under Israeli detention- calling them "terrifying, inhumane and unprecedented."

This comes as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) filed its third complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) last month to initiate a probe on alleged Israeli war crimes against journalists. 

In February, UN experts raised concerns about the devastating impact on journalists operating in Gaza, describing the war as the most dangerous conflict for media workers in recent history. 

"We are alarmed at the extraordinarily high numbers of journalists and media workers who have been killed, attacked, injured and detained in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Gaza, in recent months blatantly disregarding international law," the experts said. 

"We condemn all killings, threats and attacks on journalists and call on all parties to the conflict to protect them."

Israel’s brutal ground and air campaign has devastated Gaza, resulting in over 37,400 deaths, as reported by Palestinian health authorities.