The death of the young Palestinian cameraman is part of a long chain of journalist killings in the Gaza Strip, where since October 7 more than 189 media workers have lost their lives.
Mohammed Alaa Al-Sawalhi was 21 years old, a student at Israa University in Gaza, and a cameraman for Al-Quds Al-Youm TV. On September 17, 2025, he was with his brother Belal, also a journalist, near the southern gate of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City when an Israeli drone strike hit the area. The explosion killed him instantly, while his brother was severely injured. Witnesses said the missile struck suddenly, without warning, as the two were walking together. The Israeli military stated that the area was a military target linked to Islamic Jihad, claiming that efforts had been made to limit civilian harm. Palestinian journalist unions and several press freedom organizations condemned the attack as part of a broader strategy to intimidate and silence those documenting the war.
His killing is part of a wider context in which numerous Palestinian journalists have lost their lives in Gaza since the escalation of violence. Since October 7, 2023, the number of journalists and media workers killed in the Gaza Strip has risen dramatically: by mid-2025 at least 186 were confirmed dead, the vast majority Palestinian. Many were victims of airstrikes or drone attacks, and in several cases there are suspicions they were deliberately targeted because of their work.
Beyond the deaths, hundreds of media workers have been injured, some severely, while others are missing or detained, and many media infrastructures — offices, equipment, vehicles — have been destroyed or damaged. This situation has drawn strong condemnation from international press freedom and human rights organizations, which denounce the systematic violation of protections owed to civilians and media workers in armed conflicts.
Al-Quds Al-Youm TV is a Palestinian satellite television network founded in 2012, affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement. Its main headquarters is in Gaza City, with operational branches also in Lebanon. The network is known for covering Islamic Jihad activities and for its critical stance toward Fatah and the Palestinian National Authority.
Over the years, Al-Quds Al-Youm TV has been directly targeted by Israeli forces. For example, on December 26, 2024, an Israeli airstrike hit a network vehicle near Al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing five journalists and media workers. The vehicle was clearly marked with press logos. Israeli forces stated that the victims were “militants disguised as journalists” and accused the network of spreading “combat propaganda.” However, no evidence was presented to show that the journalists were involved in military activities.
Despite the dangers and challenges of the profession, Al-Quds Al-Youm TV continues to operate as one of the main sources of information for Gaza’s population, maintaining an editorial line aligned with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.
Al-Shifa Hospital is the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip, located in the Al-Rimal neighborhood in the northwest of Gaza City, about 500 meters from the Mediterranean Sea.
It was originally founded in 1946 as a British army barracks and was converted into a hospital after the end of the British mandate. During the Israeli occupation of Gaza (1967–2005), the hospital was renovated and expanded, including the construction of underground bunkers and other facilities. These modifications were designed in the 1980s to improve infrastructure and living conditions in Gaza.
Over the years, Al-Shifa has played a crucial role in providing healthcare to Gaza’s population and has become a symbol of resilience for Palestinians. However, it has also been at the center of controversy and conflict. During the 2014 Gaza war, Israeli forces targeted the hospital, alleging that Hamas used it as a command center, claims that were denied by medical staff and international organizations, emphasizing the hospital’s role as a protected civilian facility.
In March 2024, the hospital was hit again in an Israeli raid, causing severe damage to emergency and maternity wards. Many bodies and injured patients were reported, leaving the hospital in a largely non-functional state. Currently, Al-Shifa faces severe shortages of staff and resources. Many doctors and nurses work voluntarily, often without pay, and surgeries are performed using mobile phone lighting. The hospital is overcrowded, with patients forced to lie on the floor due to the lack of beds.
Despite these challenges, Al-Shifa continues to represent a symbol of hope and resistance for the people of Gaza, providing medical care under extremely difficult conditions.
