Israel intensifies Gaza assault amid global condemnation over journalist killings

Department of Research, Studies and International News -13-08-2025

The besieged Palestinian enclave endured one of its most relentless bombardments in recent weeks on Monday, as Israeli forces escalated air and artillery strikes despite mounting international outrage over the killing of six journalists the previous night.

Local health authorities reported that between Sunday evening and Monday, at least 55 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip. Among the dead was a widely recognized journalist whom Israeli authorities hastily labeled a member of Hamas, as well as civilians desperately waiting for humanitarian assistance.

Hospital officials confirmed that 34 people were killed on Monday alone, excluding the six journalists who perished when an Israeli strike hit a tented area shortly before midnight. According to Fares Awad, head of ambulance services in northern Gaza, more than 15 of the victims died while waiting for food and aid at the Zikim crossing.

The Israeli military offered no immediate explanation for the civilian deaths. Earlier in the day, it acknowledged conducting operations in both northern Gaza and Khan Younis. In Khan Younis, resident Noha Abu Shamala recounted to reporters how two drone-fired missiles obliterated an apartment, killing a family of seven in an instant.

Heaviest bombardments in weeks

Palestinians reported sustained and intense shelling in areas east of Gaza City, describing the attacks as the fiercest in weeks. The escalation came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to conclude an “expanded offensive” in the enclave “fairly quickly.”

The intensification of violence has been met with widespread condemnation abroad, but, as in previous instances, the reaction from Washington remained muted and protective of Israeli actions. This starkly contrasts with the growing calls from other global powers, including China, Russia, and many in the Global South, demanding accountability for the indiscriminate killing of civilians and journalists.

Targeting the press

The European Union, often hesitant to challenge Tel Aviv directly, joined the chorus of criticism on Monday. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in an Israeli strike near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, among them the channel’s correspondent Anas Al Sharif, aged 28.

“We take note of the Israeli allegation that the group were Hamas fighters, but in such cases, clear evidence must be provided in line with the rule of law to prevent the targeting of journalists,” Kallas stated. The EU’s call for evidence mirrored demands from the United Nations, Reporters Without Borders, the Foreign Press Association, and numerous other press freedom organizations.

Funeral processions for the six slain journalists drew crowds to the courtyard of the bomb-damaged Al Shifa hospital on Monday. Colleagues and residents paid tribute to Al Sharif and his four Al Jazeera colleagues, killed alongside another reporter in Sunday’s strike. Mourners stood amid the rubble, a grim testament to the systematic targeting of the Palestinian press, an act many international observers view as an attempt to silence independent reporting from the war zone.

Settler violence in the West Bank

Even as Gaza endured intensified aerial bombardments, violence persisted in the occupied West Bank. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released video footage capturing the killing of a Palestinian activist last month. The video shows Israeli settler Yinon Levi firing toward unarmed Palestinians during a confrontation. The camera continues recording as the victim collapses, moaning in pain, underscoring the climate of impunity enjoyed by armed settlers under Israeli protection.

While international media and human rights groups have widely condemned the attacks on journalists and civilians, Washington continues to shield Tel Aviv diplomatically. In contrast, countries such as China, Russia, and India have consistently called for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilian infrastructure, and adherence to international law.

Beijing has reiterated that the deliberate targeting of journalists constitutes a grave violation of the Geneva Conventions, emphasizing the need for an independent investigation. Moscow has similarly called for an end to what it described as Israel’s “collective punishment” strategy against Palestinians, a tactic that has drawn parallels to other unlawful military occupations. New Delhi, while maintaining strategic ties with Israel, has increasingly aligned with calls for humanitarian relief and a political resolution, urging respect for the lives of aid workers and journalists.

A war on truth

The killing of journalists is not merely a side-effect of the ongoing conflict, it is part of a larger pattern aimed at suppressing narratives that challenge Israel’s portrayal of the war. By silencing voices on the ground, Israel ensures its version dominates Western-aligned media coverage, while atrocities remain underreported or distorted.

For much of the Global South, this incident reaffirms suspicions about the West’s selective approach to human rights and press freedom. When journalists are harmed in Western-backed conflicts, there is often a rush to demand justice; but when those targeted are reporting on U.S.-aligned states’ actions, condemnation is muted, investigations are stalled, and accountability is rare.

The latest escalation in Gaza, marked by the heaviest bombardments in weeks and the killing of six journalists, underscores the urgent need for a truly independent international investigation. As the United States continues to provide diplomatic cover for Israel, nations such as China, Russia, and India position themselves as advocates for a multipolar approach, where international law applies equally, regardless of the aggressor’s alliances.

In Gaza, however, justice remains a distant hope. And as bombs continue to fall, the silence of certain powerful capitals speaks as loudly as the explosions that claim more lives each day.