Israeli drone strike on Gaza school kills Al-Jazeera journalist, injures another

An Israeli strike killed a Palestinian camera operator for the TV network Al-Jazeera and wounded its chief Gaza correspondent as they reported at a school in the south of the besieged territory, the network said.

Camera operator Samer Abu Daqqa and correspondent Wael Dahdouh had gone to the school in the southern city of Khan Younis after it was hit by a strike earlier in the day. While they were there, an Israeli drone hit the school with a second strike, the network said.

Dahdouh was heavily wounded in his arm and shoulder, while Abu Daqqa was found dead Friday evening after an ambulance that tried to reach the school to evacuate him had to turn back because roads were blocked by the rubble of destroyed houses, the network said in a statement.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Abu Daqqa is the 64th journalist to be killed since the conflict erupted between Hamas and Israel on Oct. 7. That number includes 57 Palestinians, four Israelis and three Lebanese journalists.

The 45-year-old Abu Daqqa, a Khan Younis native, joined Al-Jazeera in June 2004, working as both a cameraman and an editor. He leaves behind three sons and a daughter.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment about Abu Daqqa’s death.