3 Journalists Among 11 Palestinians Killed in Israel’s Gaza Attacks
3 Journalists Among 11 Palestinians Killed in Israel’s Gaza Attacks
Israeli military strikes on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, has resulted in the deaths of at least 11 Palestinians.
Among those killed were three journalists and two 13-year-old boys. The incidents occurred across various parts of the enclave, including the Netzarim area and the towns of Bani Suheila and Deir al-Balah, as attacks continue to challenge the sustainability of a three-month-old ceasefire.
The three journalists, identified as Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Shaat, and Anas Ghneim, were killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted their vehicle in central Gaza.
The reporters were reportedly on a mission sponsored by the Egyptian Relief Committee to document the conditions of civilians in a newly established displacement camp.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the strike, emphasizing that the team was performing a vital humanitarian and journalistic role.
The Israeli military defended the strike, stating that its forces had identified and targeted “suspects” operating a drone affiliated with Hamas.
According to a military statement, the drone posed a direct threat to troops in the area, leading to a “precise strike.”
However, local reports and colleagues of the deceased journalists noted that the vehicle was clearly marked and its mission was known to authorities involved in relief operations.
Beyond the attack on the media workers, the day was marked by the deaths of two young boys in separate incidents. In one case, 13-year-old Moatsem al-Sharafy was shot dead by Israeli troops while collecting firewood for his family in Bani Suheila. In another strike on the eastern edge of the Bureij refugee camp, a second 13-year-old boy was killed alongside his father and another young man by Israeli drone fire.
These latest fatalities contribute to a rising death toll that has seen over 460 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire was established in October. Media watchdogs and human rights organizations have expressed growing alarm over the safety of press workers in the region, noting that hundreds of journalists have been killed since the conflict began in 2023, making it one of the deadliest periods for the media in modern history.
