Qatar press body condemns killing of Palestinian journalists by Israel

A Qatar press body has denounced Israel’s "deliberate targeting" of civilians and journalists in the Gaza Strip, where seven journalists were killed have been killed in five days of continuous bombing.

The Qatari Press Center condemned Israel's "brutal crimes and aggression" and the treatment of journalists as "targets" in the ongoing war on the besieged Palestinian enclave in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Center stresses the need to prevent the Israeli occupation forces from using 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood' as a pretext to continue their violations against journalists and media workers who carry out their professional duties in covering the events taking place".

Israel has killed at least seven journalists in Gaza since the start of the aggression, with the latest victim from the press identified as Palestinian journalist Salam Meimah, who was killed alongside her husband and three children.

Israel's onslaught started after a major attack by Hamas against Israel on Saturday, which saw over 1,200 Israelis dead.

Hamas said its attack was in response to intensified Israeli aggression on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza, as well as the repeated settler storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque.

The operation resulted in the capturing of more than 130 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians.

Israel responded with a deadly war on Gaza, killing at least 1,350 Palestinians, though the figure is expected to rise as Israel continues to bomb the strip.

The Israeli attacks heavily targeted the civilian infrastructure of the besieged strip and residential buildings, schools, hospitals, and on the ground.