New father and journalist who lost family in 2014 among five Gaza reporters killed in Israeli strike

More than 190 media professionals have been killed by Israel since October 7 last year

Journalists Faisal Abu Al Qumsan, Ayman Al Jadi, Mohammad Al Lad'a, Fadi Hassouna and Ibrahim Al Sheikh Ali were killed in an Israeli air strike on a clearly marked press van in central Gaza. Wafa

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Ayman Al Jadi had been eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child after he had taken his wife to Gaza's Al Awda Hospital for the delivery. Once he stepped out of the hospital, his wife would never see him alive again.

Mr Al Jadi was killed by an Israeli air strike as he stood outside the hospital with four of his colleagues who worked for Al Quds Al Youm television, near a clearly marked press broadcasting van on Thursday morning.

One of his ambitions was to capture the moment the war in Gaza finally ended, his colleague and friend Mohamed Kandil told The National.

“He was known for his love of life, his passion for Gaza and dedication to journalism. He dreamt of his wife giving birth in a time of peace, not amid conflict,” Mr Kandil said.

Israel claims that it attacked a “terrorist cell” and conducted “precise” strikes in the area of Nuseirat where the journalists were killed.

Ibrahim Al Sheikh Ali, who was killed during the Thursday strikes, had lost his own wife and daughter in the 2014 war with Israel. Despite the profound and personal tragedy, his cousin Omar says, Mr Al Sheikh Ali never stopped working tirelessly to convey the suffering of Gazans to the outside world.

“Now, he has joined them, dying in the line of duty without posing any threat to Israel,” Omar told The National. “Ibrahim never gave up, no matter how difficult the circumstances. He worked under the harshest conditions to communicate the truth.”

The other three journalists killed were Fadi Hassouna, Mohammad Al Lad'a and Faisal Abu Al Qumsan. They were remembered fondly by their colleagues. Former Al Quds Al Youm journalist Ahmed Sahmoud called Mr Hassouna's loss “immeasurable”, Mr Al Lad'a's professionalism “unmatched” and Mr Al Qumsan “courageous”.

Journalists are protected by international humanitarian law and have been facing hunger, displacement and the risk of death while reporting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Mr Sahmoud called on Israel to be held accountable for its attempts to “disrupt the truth from being conveyed”.

Thursday's attack was not an isolated incident but a part of a wider attacking of journalists where more than 190 media professionals had been killed by Israel since October 7 last year, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said. It called for an independent investigation into Thursday's attack.

More than 45,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave. Medical sources say at least 10 per cent of Gaza's entire population of 2.1 million are either killed, injured or missing as a result of Israel's war on the enclave.