Journalist Muhammad al-Najjar Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Khanyounis

Journalist Muhammad al-Najjar was killed in Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, when Israeli occupation forces bombed the area, according to reports from Quds News Network on Telegram. The reports carry no time of the attack, no details on how many others were hurt, and no statement on which outlet, if any, he worked for.

Images circulated with the report show al-Najjar's children saying their final goodbye to him. The footage of the children at his side has become the defining picture of the incident, and it shows the cost that Palestinian families bear under continuing bombardment.

The Arabic-language reports describe his death as being by occupation fire, while the English summary refers to bombing. Qatar Standard has not independently verified the exact circumstances, and there has been no Israeli comment on the incident in the material available to us.

Al-Najjar's death adds to the long list of Palestinian journalists killed while working in Gaza during the war. Among them are Al Jazeera's Ismail al-Ghoul, killed in Gaza City on 31 July 2024, and Anas al-Sharif, killed on 10 August 2025 near al-Shifa hospital together with colleagues. Al Jazeera is based in Doha, and Qatar has repeatedly condemned attacks on journalists in Gaza. Doha has also acted as a mediator, alongside Egypt and the United States, in negotiations aimed at ending the fighting.

International law treats journalists as civilians, and deliberately targeting them is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions. Press freedom groups have repeatedly called for independent investigations into the killing of reporters in Gaza and for international journalists to be allowed to enter the Strip.

This report will be updated as more information on al-Najjar's identity, his work and the circumstances of his killing is confirmed.