An Israeli air strike killed an AFP freelancer and two other journalists in Gaza, the territory’s civil defence agency said, while the military said it struck “suspects” operating a drone.
Since October 10, a fragile US-sponsored ceasefire in Gaza has largely halted the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas, but both sides have alleged frequent violations.
In a statement, the civil defence said “the bodies of the three journalists killed in an Israeli air strike in the Al-Zahra area southwest of Gaza City were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah”.
It named the dead as Mohammed Salah Qashta, Abdul Raouf Shaat and Anas Ghneim.
Shaat had contributed regularly to AFP as a photo and video journalist, but at the time of the strike, he was not on assignment for the agency.
In a statement, the Israeli military said troops had “identified several suspects who operated a drone affiliated with Hamas in the central Gaza Strip”.
The military did not elaborate on what it meant by a “drone affiliated with Hamas”.
“Due to the threat that the drone posed to the troops, the (Israeli military) precisely struck the suspects who activated the drone,” it said, adding that the details were under review.
