Palestinian journalist killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, death toll rises to 262

A Palestinian journalist with the Qatari Al Jazeera television network was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, bringing the death toll of reporters since October 2023 to 262, local authorities said.

In a statement, the Gaza Government Media Office said the killing of Mohammed Wishah, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, reflects a "systematic targeting and assassination" of Palestinian journalists by Israel.

Later Wednesday, Gaza's Civil Defense said its crews recovered the bodies of two Palestinians, including Wishah, after an Israeli airstrike targeted a civilian vehicle on Al-Rashid coastal road southwest of Gaza City.

Palestinian medical sources told Anadolu that the bodies of the two people, along with a woman who sustained moderate injuries, were taken to Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City.

The office held "Israel, the US administration, and countries participating in the genocide" fully responsible for what it described as the crime.

It called on the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union, and global media organizations to "condemn these systematic crimes against Palestinian journalists and media workers in the Gaza Strip."

The office also appealed to the international community and relevant organizations to "stop these repeated attacks," prosecute those responsible in international courts, and "exercise serious and effective pressure to stop the crime of genocide" and protect journalists in Gaza.

More than 72,000 people have been killed and over 171,000 others injured in a deadly Israeli war in Gaza since October 2023. The assault was halted under a US-backed ceasefire that took effect last October.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, at least 733 Palestinians have been killed and 2,034 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire.