Israeli air strikes have killed six people in Gaza, including an Al Jazeera cameraman, drawing swift condemnation from diplomats and raising fears of a broader escalation. The casualties were reported in two separate incidents on Tuesday evening. In the first, a strike on a residential building in Gaza City killed four people, among them Al Jazeera cameraman Ali al-Attar.
A second strike on a vehicle in Khan Younis killed two others. The Israeli Defence Forces said the strikes targeted militants involved in launching incendiary balloons and rockets, but provided no evidence linking al-Attar to militant activity. The Al Jazeera network described the killing as a deliberate attack on journalists, accusing Israel of targeting media workers to suppress coverage of the conflict.
The Committee to Protect Journalists called for an independent investigation. The Palestinian Authority and several Arab states condemned the strikes, with Egypt warning of dangerous consequences. The United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, urged restraint and expressed concern over the rising civilian toll.
The strikes come amid a fragile ceasefire that ended an 11-day war in May, which killed more than 250 people in Gaza and 13 in Israel. Since then, sporadic violence has persisted, including rocket fire from Gaza and Israeli retaliatory strikes. The latest incident threatens to unravel the truce, as both sides accuse the other of provocation.
International mediators, including Egypt and Qatar, are working to de-escalate tensions. The European Union called for an immediate halt to hostilities, while the United States expressed concern and urged all parties to avoid further violence.