Israeli Strikes Kill Six, Including Al Jazeera Cameraman, in Gaza Amid Ongoing Ceasefire
Israeli air strikes in Gaza have killed at least six people, including Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Wishah, according to health officials and rescuers on the ground.
The BBC reports that Wishah was hit in a strike on a central Gaza home on Saturday, a location the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say was a Hamas sniper base. Al Jazeera searsingly condemned the killing, describing it as a "heinous crime of targeting and killing" and a "new and flagrant violation of all international laws and norms".
The IDF allege Wishah was a "terrorist in Hamas' military wing who served as a sniper operative". The claim comes without evidence, and the strike’s aftermath included two other victims, who the IDF say were Hamas members. The Hamas-run health ministry—whose figures the UN views as reliable—confirmed the deaths.
Earlier in April, Wishah’s brother Mohamed, also an Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed in an Israeli strike. The IDF alleged he worked in Hamas rocket and weapons production headquarters. No proof has been provided.
In a separate incident, four family members were killed overnight in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. Hospital staff reported that the bodies included two children, and relatives have stated that none of the victims were linked to Hamas.
The ceasefire agreement reached in October between Israel and Hamas—often called a “deal”—has not held. Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce. The deal promised a cabal of humanitarian aid into Gaza; yet the United Nations says 81% of buildings are damaged, and aid groups urge more assistance.
Tom Fletcher, head of the UN’s humanitarian agency, told the UN Security Council that the proportion of households going to bed hungry has fallen from 92% to 36% since the ceasefire, but 70% of the population still needs proper shelter. He stressed that sanitation and essential services are "on the brink".
The ceasefire also requires Hamas to disarm and to remove its role in governing Gaza—a step that has not yet occurred. Meanwhile, the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, states it will not occupy Gaza permanently but will gradually hand over territory it captured during the war. In May Netanyahu instructed the IDF to increase its control of Gaza to 70% of the territory.
The latest conflict began when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to Gaza. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry says more than 73,000 people have been killed in Israeli military operations.
For more information, see the original BBC report: BBC News.
