Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed Washah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in central Gaza. Photo: Al Jazeera Arabic
Gaza Strip: At least nine Palestinians, including an Al Jazeera cameraman and a child, were killed in Israeli strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, June 19, according to Palestinian health officials.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood, where an Israeli air strike hit a residential apartment, killing four people, including two women and a child. Several others were injured. The Israeli military said it had targeted a militant site but did not provide further details.
In northern Gaza, a woman was reportedly shot dead in Beit Lahiya, while a separate air strike in Khan Younis killed one person and wounded at least eight others.
Later in the day, an Israeli strike targeted a house in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, killing three people, including Ahmed Washah, a cameraman for Al Jazeera Mubasher.
Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera condemned the killing of Washah, describing it as a “heinous crime”.
In a statement, the network said Washah was killed while carrying out his professional duties in Bureij camp. It added that he was the 12th Al Jazeera journalist killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023.
Al Jazeera also noted that Washah’s brother, Mohammed Washah, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher, was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on April 8.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate condemned the incident and called for accountability, saying nearly 300 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the start of the conflict.
The Israeli military said the strike had targeted a Hamas operative who it alleged was also working as a photojournalist for Al Jazeera. It claimed the individual posed a threat to Israeli troops but did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
Al Jazeera and Hamas have repeatedly denied claims that the broadcaster’s journalists are affiliated with the group’s military wing.
The latest fatalities come amid continued violence despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the truce took effect, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages. Since then, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to figures released by the ministry.
Efforts to advance the next phase of the ceasefire agreement have so far failed to produce a breakthrough. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, along with international representatives, continue discussions on issues including Gaza’s governance and the future of Hamas’s armed wing.
This post was last modified on June 21, 2026 2:29 pm