Israeli forces kill Gaza journalist in drone attack

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian journalist in a drone attack on north Gaza on Saturday, the Wafa news agency reported, citing local sources.

According to the sources, Israeli forces shot dead Mohammed Saleh Al-Sharif using gunfire from a quadcopter drone.

Al-Sharif was recently forced to evacuate his home in the Tal Al-Zaatar neighbourhood in east Jabalia due to ongoing Israeli bombardment and sought refuge with a relative in Beit Lahia.

Reports state that Al-Sharif and his cousin were returning to their home to assess the damage when the Israeli drone targeted them, leaving Al-Sharif to bleed for two hours before succumbing to his wounds, while his cousin was killed instantly.

This takes the number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023 to 174, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate announced.

This comes as Israel has placed north Gaza under a full siege for over one month, not allowing any one to enter the area as it is bombarded from above and on the ground.

Civil defence crews have also been prevented from operating in the area, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military court also sentenced Wafa news journalist Rasha Herzallah to six months in prison on Sunday, as well as given her a fine of 13,000 shekels (around $3,300).

The Salem military court issued her with the sentence on Sunday, which comes after she was summoned for interrogation at the Israeli detention centre in Hawara on 2 June.

Following the interrogation, she was placed under administrative detention, without charges or trial.

Herzallah is one of at least of 94 journalists detained by Israeli authorities since October 2023, Wafa reported.

The killing and arrests of journalists comes amidst Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed at least 43,799 Palestinians and wounded over 103,601 others since 7 October 2023. The war on the besieged enclave has levelled entire neighbourhoods and plunged the Strip into a deep humanitarian crisis.