Israeli occupation forces shot and killed Palestinian veteran photojournalist Khaled Al-Madhoun on Saturday evening near the Zikim checkpoint, northwest of the Gaza Strip, while he was documenting their attacks on starved Palestinians waiting for aid.
A journalist on the scene told Al Manassa that Khaled was shot directly by Israeli fire while performing his work. Despite being rushed to Hamad Hospital, he eventually succumbed to his injuries.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate mourned Khaled, who began working for Palestine TV in 1995.
In a statement, the syndicate accused Israel of systematically targeting journalists in an effort to “silence the Palestinian voice,” stressing that such crimes would not break the determination of Palestinian media workers, who continue their mission despite deadly risks.
The Gaza Government Media Office also condemned Israel’s targeting of Khaled. In a statement on WhatsApp, it urged the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union, and press bodies worldwide to denounce these ongoing crimes against Palestinian reporters.
The media office noted that the death toll of Palestinian journalists since the start of the genocide has risen to 240. It held Israel, the US, and its allies, including the UK, Germany, and France, responsible for the killings.
Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces intensified air and artillery bombardment into the early hours of this morning, targeting homes in the north of Gaza City as well as neighborhoods in the south and east.
This comes against Israel’s unrelenting efforts to push Palestinians out of their homes towards the south, coinciding with Israeli officials’ repeated statements about plans to seize full control of Gaza, explained another journalist speaking to Al Manassa.
Israel’s occupation forces have begun to etch facts on the ground in Gaza, despite turbulence on its internal front calling for a rollback on the war until captives held by Palestinian resistance groups are released.
The occupation army intensified air and artillery strikes early Sunday, targeting areas in northern, southern, and eastern Gaza City, following repeated statements from Israeli officials about plans for a full ground invasion.
Recent strikes have increasingly focused on neighborhoods in the southeast and northeast of the enclave, pushing civilians to flee south under fire.
A third journalist on the scene, who requested anonymity, reported that Jabaliya witnessed consecutive explosions from Israeli robots that destroyed dozens of homes. “While these targets are often uninhabited,” the source said, “the surrounding areas are densely populated with families who have nowhere to go.”
Civil defense and ambulance crews have been blocked from accessing the area, which the military now treats as a closed military zone. Toxic gases and dust from the explosions have spread to nearby residential areas.
In Sabra and the nearby College of Applied Sciences, Israeli airstrikes hit buildings and residential streets. A fourth journalist on the scene confirmed to Al Manassa that residents were issued evacuation orders just minutes before the strikes.
“They shelled over eight homes near the Baptist Hospital in the Askoula area,” the source said. “Families had almost no time to escape.”
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that more than 63 people were killed across the Strip on Saturday, including 22 in Gaza City, eight in central areas, and 33 in Khan Younis.
Strikes have also targeted civilian shelters, with Israeli occupation forces bombing tents sheltering displaced families in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, without prior warning.
On Friday, the UN officially declared a state of famine in Gaza City and warned it could spread to Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.
This announcement comes after months of siege since the Israeli occupation army assumed control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing on May 7, blocking all aid entry to more than two million Palestinians in the Strip.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, daily strikes continue to kill and injure dozens. Homes, infrastructure, and public facilities have been systematically destroyed since Oct. 7, 2023, with the total death toll now exceeding 61,000 Palestinians.
