In a tragic incident on Sunday, two Palestinian journalists, including the son of a veteran Al Jazeera journalist, were killed in Gaza. Mustafa Thuraya and Hamza Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's Wael al-Dahdouh, lost their lives in a reported Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza. This heartbreaking incident marks the fifth family member of Wael al-Dahdouh who has been killed by an airstrike, including his wife, two other children, and a grandson who died in November.

Hamza, 27, was on assignment for Al Jazeera in Northern Rafah when his car was hit by an airstrike, causing his tragic death. The airstrike also inflicted serious injuries on journalist Hazem Rajab. These attacks on journalists further escalate the violence during the ongoing conflict.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 70 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the war started on October 7. The toll includes the lives of four Israeli and three Lebanese journalists as well. The conflict intensified in October when Hamas launched an attack on Gaza, leading to increased fighting along Israel's border with Lebanon.

Al Jazeera strongly condemned the killing, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting journalists, specifically mentioning Wael Al-Dahdouh and his family. The network highlighted a previous incident in December, where Wael AlDahdoh and his colleague, Samer Abu Daqqa, were also targeted by a drone strike resulting in Abu Daqqa's death.

Al Jazeera, in a statement, expressed their outrage over the continuous attacks by Israeli forces on journalists and media professionals in Gaza. They denounced these actions as a violation of press freedom and the right to life.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the dangers journalists face while reporting from conflict zones, and the urgent need for international efforts to ensure the safety and protection of journalists and their critical work. The international community is called upon to address these violations and prevent further loss of life among journalists in Gaza.