The 34-year-old filmmaker and photojournalist was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a popular Gaza café, a place where journalists gathered to share stories and document daily life.
Palestinian journalist and filmmaker Ismail Abu Hatab was killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit Al-Baqa Café, a beachfront venue in western Gaza City, on June 30, 2025. He was 34 years old.
Abu Hatab, founder of the Clight TV production company, was among dozens of people killed in the strike. The café was a popular meeting spot for journalists and residents due to its internet access and the limited connectivity across Gaza. The attack occurred at around 2:50 p.m. local time while several reporters and civilians were present. Freelance journalist Bayan Abusultan was injured in the strike, suffering shrapnel wounds to her head and chest.
Abu Hatab died from severe injuries to his head and back. He was buried in Gaza on the same day.
He had worked with various media organizations and curated photographic exhibitions documenting daily life in Gaza, seeking to preserve the dignity and memory of people living under siege. On November 2, 2023, Abu Hatab was seriously injured in an Israeli airstrike that hit his office on the 16th floor of Al-Ghifari Tower in Gaza City.
His death adds to the rising number of journalists killed in Gaza since the escalation of the conflict, in a context where press freedom and the right to information are paying a devastating price.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) contacted the Israeli Defense Forces’ North America Media Desk to inquire whether the journalists were deliberately targeted, but did not receive a response.
Ismail Abu Hatab documented life in Gaza with courage, giving voice to those who are often silenced. With his death, Gaza loses yet another one of its vital voices.
Sources:
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report on Ismail Abu Hatab: https://cpj.org/2025/07/palestinian-journalist-ismail-abu-hatab-killed-in-israeli-airstrike-in-gaza/
- Haaretz coverage: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-07-01/
- Al Jazeera report: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/1/ismail-abu-hatab-killed-in-gaza
- Human Rights Watch Gaza conflict updates: https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/palestine
