Israel-Hamas conflict: Palestinian journalist Roshdi Sarraj killed

Palestinian photojournalist Roshdi Sarraj has been killed in Israeli bombing of his house located in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City, on Sunday, October 22.

Sarraj was the director of Ain Media, a private media company in Palestine, and was a former photographer for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Since the beginning of the war on Saturday, October 7, he has continued to cover the recent events in the Gaza Strip.

In a Facebook post on Friday, October 13, Al-Sarraj wrote, “We will not leave. We will leave Gaza to heaven. And to heaven only.”

With the martyrdom of Sarraj, the number of journalists killed in this ongoing war, rises to 18.

Here is a list of journalist killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7

October 7

• Ibrahim Mohammad Lafi— a photographer for Ain Media

• Mohammad Jarghoun— a journalist with Smart Media

• Mohammad Al-Salhi— a photojournalist working for the Fourth Authority news agency

October 8

• Assad Shamlakh— a freelance journalist

October 9

• Hisham Alnwajha— a journalist at the “Khabar” news agency

• Mohammed Sobh— a photographer from “Khabar” news agency

• Saeed al-Taweel— editor-in-chief of the Al-Khamsa news website

October 11

• Mohamed Fayez Abu Matar— a freelance photojournalist

October 12

• Ahmed Shehab— a journalist for Sowt Al-Asra Radio (Radio Voice of the Prisoners)

October 13

• Issam Abdallah— a Beirut-based videographer for the Reuters news agency

• Husam Mubarak— a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al Aqsa Radio

• Salam Mema— a freelance journalist

October 14

• Yousef Maher Dawas— a contributing writer for Palestine Chronicle and a writer for We Are Not Numbers (WANN), a youth-led Palestinian nonprofit project

October 16

• Abdulhadi Habib— a journalist who worked for Al-Manara News Agency and HQ News Agency, Habib

October 17

• Issam Bhar— a journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV

• Mohammad Balousha— a journalist and the administrative and financial manager of the local media channel “Palestine Today” office in Gaza

October 18

• Sameeh Al-Nady— a journalist and director for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV

October 19

• Khalil Abu Aathra— a videographer for the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV

October 20

• Mohammed Ali— a journalist from Al-Shabab Radio

October 22

• Roshdi Sarraj— a journalist and co-founder of Ain Media

Journalist deaths in Gaza are a grave violation

Since October 7, at least one journalist has been killed daily in a gross violation of international law, according to ActionAid, Wafa News Agency reported.

The ActionAid said, “Palestinian journalists bravely documented Gaza’s bombardment, exposing the civilian population’s devastation, despite restrictions since October 7, providing a vital window into the crisis.”

Riham Jafari, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Palestine said, “Palestinian journalists in Gaza put their lives at risk and continue their media coverage in Gaza despite continuous Israeli airstrikes, a lack of protection and safety, disrupted communications, and electricity cuts.”

 “We appeal to the international community to immediately intervene to investigate the attacks on journalists and media properties in the Gaza Strip and West Bank,” they added. Attacking journalists is a violation of the right to life and freedom of expression. 

“Journalists in Gaza are civilians and they must be protected to continue their work without interference, to enable people around the world to know and understand the reality of humanitarian and political conditions in the Gaza Strip.”

Missing journalists

• Nidal Al-Wahidi— A Palestinian photographer from Al-Najah channel was reported missing by MADA, and later family informed media that the journalist had been detained by the Israeli army.

• Haitham Abdelwahid—Palestinian photographer from the Ain Media agency was also reported missing by MADA.

The Israeli aggression continues for the 16th day in a row, mainly targeting inhabited homes, causing more fatalities and wounded among citizens, in addition to destroying homes and infrastructure.

In Gaza alone, 4,651 Palestinians have been killed, including 1,873 children and 14 245 citizens wounded due to Israeli attacks.

On the Israeli side, at least 1,405 people have been killed, including 306 soldiers and 5,431 injured.

The war began on October 7 after Hamas infiltrated southern Israel, sending fighters, firing 5,000 rockets, and taking hostages, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn of “a long and difficult war.“