Hassan Eslaiah in Nasser Hospital. Photo circulating on social media

In Israel’s eyes, journalism in Gaza is not a legitimate practice; it is a form of terrorism that must be eliminated.

Since the outbreak of the Israeli war following October 7, 2023, Israel has constantly targeted journalists in every space—homes, schools, and even hospitals. Gazan journalists once believed that hospitals could offer them some safety, yet this war proved otherwise. Israel disregards journalists, fearing the reporting that exposes its crimes and reveals its brutality to the world. 

Those journalists are not numbers; they are someone’s family member. One heartbreaking story is that of Hassan Eslaiah (sometimes spelled Eslayeh or Aslih), a photojournalist who tirelessly documented Israel’s attacks.

Alongside his fellow journalists, he sought refuge in tents pitched outside Nasser Hospital, fully aware they could be targeted at any moment. Yet, they chose to face death together.

On April 4, 2025, an airstrike hit their tents, killing Hassan’s colleague, Helmi al-Faqawi. Others were severely injured, including Hassan himself, who lost two of his fingers and suffered from severe burns.

“He was deeply saddened about his friends who were killed and those who were injured. His psychological condition deteriorated sharply after the strike,” his wife, Um Abed, told me.

Hassan Eslaiah with his son Abed. Photo provided by Um Abed

Following the attack, Hassan stayed in the burns department of Nasser Hospital for treatment. “I used to visit him every day at the hospital, bringing him breakfast and taking clean clothes for him,” his wife recalled. “During the war, it was difficult to see each other, but I felt his injury gave me and the children more chances to see him. Whenever I was delayed because of transportation, he would gently say, ‘I am waiting for you.’”

Thirty-seven days after the initial attack, on May 13, 2025, his family heard the devastating news that Hassan Eslaiah was assassinated by an Israeli drone, which targeted him on the third floor of the burns department where he was receiving treatment.

“I was at home when I received the news. It was a huge shock and I could not even speak,” his wife said. Hassan was the 215th journalist to be assassinated since October 7, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.

Israel claimed that the hospital was being used by Hamas to carry out terrorist plots against Israeli forces and citizens. The Israel military reported that Eslaiah was a member of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade and was operating “under the guise of a journalist and owner of a press company.” 

“The occupation’s claim that Eslaiah crossed into the occupied land and took part in the October 7 incidents is part of the Israeli policy to justify attacks on journalists and media personnel,” said Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run government media office.

In an article published in Mondoweiss, Tareq Hajjaj—Hassan’s colleague—said that Hassan predicted his assassination after the first strike in April: “It would not be difficult for the occupation to assassinate me, especially with the increasing incitement I hear and see against me,” Hassan said. “They may target me inside the hospital, in this room of mine. What can I do?”

Hassan was a husband, one of six siblings and father of four children: “Abed and Mona were deeply affected by their father’s death while young Mela and Iman were not aware of what happened. They do not know that they are now orphans,” Um Abed said.

Hassan was born in Khan Younis in 1987. “His dream was to be a journalist,” Um Abed said. He studied in Al-Aqsa University and graduated in 2009. Alongside his journalistic aspirations, he had a passion for cultivation and always helped his father on the farm until his father passed away.

Hassan worked with prominent media organizations including CNN, Associated Press, Sky News and the New York Times. A few months before the war, he founded his own media company, Alam 35 news outlet.

Throughout the genocide, Hassan gained huge popularity because of his tireless work and fast reporting. He had half a million followers on Instagram and more than 600,000 on Telegram, where his verified channel has become one of the most relied-upon platforms for accurate information.

Hassan Eslaiah with his daughter Mela. Photo provided by Um Abed

“The war separated us as soon as it began,” recalled Um Abed. After Israel launched a military operation in Rafah, he went there to continue reporting. Even though his house in Khan Younis was empty, an Israeli airstrike reduced it to rubble on May 4, 2024—an attempt to erase every trace of his existence.

Media and human rights organizations strongly condemned the killing of Hassan Eslaiah. The Palestinian journalism syndicate said it was “deeply disturbed” by the growing number of journalists killed in Gaza and called for independent investigations into a “pattern of targeted attacks.” Tahsin al-Astal, deputy head of the journalists’ syndicate, said, “Eslaiah’s killing is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

“The only thing that gives me strength and patience is my children. I have to remain steadfast to build a future for them, one where they can follow their father’s path—honesty, integrity, and standing against oppression—even if it costs their life,” Um Abed concluded.

By targeting journalists in hospitals, Israel delivers a message to the press in Gaza: No place is safe. As long as you keep reporting what you see, your life and the lives of your loved ones will be at risk.

Gaza has lost dozens of brave men and women who risked their lives to document the truth. Although their bodies are no longer with us, their voices and legacies continue to echo in our minds. Many of them left behind children, who may be too young to understand what happened now, but will one day grow up and carry their parent’s message: speak up, seek justice and expose the truth of how Israel has shattered thousands of innocent lives, including their own.

This article is co-published with Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.