Israeli occupation forces killed Palestinian journalist Hassan Eslaih on Tuesday in a drone strike that targeted the burns unit of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
The attack brings the number of journalists killed since the start of the war to at least 215.
The airstrike struck the third floor of the hospital, where Hassan was receiving treatment for previous injuries, a journalist on the scene told Al Manassa. Hassan died instantly, while six other patients in the same unit were wounded.
“There was no warning before the strike,” the journalist said, requesting anonymity for security reasons. “His body was found on his hospital bed. He died instantly from the impact.”
Rights organizations and press unions condemned the strike, calling it a grave violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits attacks on medical facilities.
Eslaih had been wounded in an earlier assassination attempt on April 7 when the Israeli occupation army launched a strike, targeting a journalists' tent near the same hospital.
The attack killed his colleagues Hilmi Al-Faqaawi and Ahmed Mansour, and left Eslaih with severe injuries to his head and face, along with the loss of two fingers on his right hand. Nine other journalists were wounded.
Despite his condition, Eslaih continued working, documenting the toll of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza since October 7, 2023. He provided video and eyewitness reports to local and international media outlets, and collaborated with human rights and media organizations to expose violations against civilians through audio-visual reporting.
Born in 1988, Esleih was considered one of the most prominent field journalists in Gaza. His name first came to the fore during the 2008 Gaza war and became known for his courageous coverage of successive Israeli military offenses.
He played a key role in covering the Great March of Return protests in 2018 and 2019 and later founded his own media platform, Aalam 24, which offered opportunities for young journalists in Gaza.
Eslaih was known for his steadfast presence alongside Gaza’s besieged population, walking with wounded patients and devastated families through their daily suffering. He was always present on the ground, with his lens and his words, carrying the mantle of humanitarian and field journalism—never abandoning his principles or conscience.
His murder has sparked grief across the Palestinian journalist community, with colleagues mourning not only a friend but a symbol of truth-telling under siege. Tributes poured onto social media, blending sorrow with reverence.
Journalist Hani Alshaer wrote, "With ink drawn from blood and pain, and with deep pride and honor, I bid farewell to the gentle soul and steadfast companion, martyr Hassan Eslaih. The kind-hearted of noble character and reputation, a man of principle and piety. May God have mercy on your soul."
Sameer Elzaenen, another journalist and friend, also bid him farewell on Facebook. "Oh Hassan, you departed like the first light of dawn—stolen before it could fully rise," he wrote. "How do we continue the path when the one who wrote truth with his blood before his pen is gone? You were the voice that never trembled, the lens that never slept, the conscience that never compromised. You lived in the field the way a lover lives in their homeland—not merely a reporter, but the story itself, witnessed by earth and sky."
"Your loss broke us, Hassan," he added. "You were not just a colleague—you were a brother, a gentle shadow, a free voice shaped from the truth itself. We found comfort in your presence, and strength in your resolve. Now we search for you in photos, in recordings, in the echo of your steps... and find only silence and the remains of sorrow."
In an official statement, the Gaza Government Media Office mourned Eslaih and denounced the targeting of medical facilities as part of "Israel’s systematic campaign against journalists."
"We hold the Israeli occupation, the US administration, and its allies fully responsible for the ongoing crimes against journalists in Gaza," the statement read. It also called on international journalist federations, including the International Federation of Journalists and the Federation Of Arab Journalists, to take a clear stand and hold those responsible accountable.
The statement also called on global institutions to act immediately to halt what it described as a campaign of genocide and to protect journalists operating in conflict zones.
The Israeli occupation army resumed its assault on the Gaza Strip on March 18, renewing a war it launched on October 7, 2023. The escalation followed Israel’s refusal to uphold a ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19 and was intended to culminate in a full exchange of detainees held by Hamas and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
