UPDATES WITH GOVERNMENT MEDIA OFFICE STATEMENT, LATEST DEATH TOLL OF JOURNALISTS, REVISES DECK
By Ahmed Asmar
ANKARA (AA) - The Israeli army killed two more Palestinian journalists on Monday in its overnight airstrikes across the Gaza Strip.
According to official Palestinian news agency Wafa, an Israeli airstrike on a home in Gaza City left several Palestinians dead, including female journalist Alaa' Taher al-Hasanat.
It added that another female journalist Ayat Khaddoura was also killed in an Israeli airstrike on her home in Beit Lahia town, northern Gaza Strip.
According to the news agency, Khaddoura was live on the Palestinian Al-Ghad TV shortly before the bombardment of her home. She said on television "this could be my last video."
She also said that the Israeli army fired white phosphorus bombs on Beit Lahia to push the Palestinians out of their town.
"The martyrdom of Alaa' al-Hasanat and Ayat Khaddoura in the Israeli Monday airstrikes have risen the number of journalist martyrs to 62 since the start of the (Israeli) aggression [on Gaza]," the Gaza-based government media office said in a statement.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.
Authorities in Gaza said Monday that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 has jumped to over 13,300 including 5,600 children and 3,550 women.
The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.