Gaza: Israeli Airstrike in Rafah Kills Freelance Journalist Salma Mukhaimer and Child
Salma is the third woman journalist killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza
Location: Gaza, Rafah
Date: October 25, 2023
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is deeply saddened by the death of freelance journalist Salma Muhaimer and her child and extends condolences to their family. The mounting death toll of journalists killed in this conflict is deplorable. Palestinian journalists are risking their lives to report what is happening inside Gaza. They should be lauded and supported, not bombarded and killed. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands an end to hostilities and an immediate ceasefire.
Amidst incessant bombing, in her last Facebook post on October 11, freelance journalist Salma Mukhaimer seemingly foreshadowed the horrors that would happen next, “If we are absent and the news about us disappears, prayer connects us," she wrote.
On October 25, Mukhaimer and her child were killed in the Israeli bombardment of Rafah, in south Gaza. The freelance journalist is the fifth woman journalist to lose her life since the conflict between Israel and Palestine was reignited on October 7, 2023.
Mukhaimer is the third Palestinian woman journalist in Gaza to be killed by Israeli airstrikes. Presenter with Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa Radio, Duaa Sharaf was killed alongside her child in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza on October 26. Leader of the Women Journalists Committee within the Palestinian Media Assembly, Salam Mema, was confirmed dead after being trapped under the rubble of her home following an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza on October 13.
The Israeli authorities do not allow access to Gaza, effectively banning international journalists from reporting from there. This leaves all the responsibility on the shoulders of Palestinian journalists in Gaza to share what is happening with the world.
So far, 27 journalists have lost their lives during the conflict, making this one of the deadliest ever frontlines for reporters. The latest escalation in violence began on October 7, when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, murdering 1400 people and taking over 200 hostages. In response, the Israeli military launched its largest-ever bombing campaign on the blockaded strip, killing over 6,000 people and leaving hospitals on the verge of collapse.
Israeli authorities have cut off access to water, food, fuel, or electricity, leaving Palestinian journalists in Gaza battling deteriorating conditions alongside bombardment. Over the past two weeks, journalists have been struggling to maintain an internet connection, charge their devices, and verify what is happening. Many have lost loved ones. Al Jazeera Bureau Chief in Gaza was broadcasting live when he witnessed the Israeli airstrike that killed his wife, son, daughter, and grandson. BBC Arabic reporter was reporting from a hospital when he saw his neighbors and friends among the dead. Despite these unimaginable horrors, Palestinian journalists have continued to report, donning their press jackets and speaking to cameras to ensure the world remains informed. Their courage is astounding.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled by the death toll of journalists covering this conflict. We mourn the killing of Salma Mukhaimer and her child and send our condolences to their family and friends.
The scale of violence and the rising death toll from this conflict is horrific. The Coalition For Women in Journalism vehemently condemns the killing of civilians by both Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Both must immediately stop hostilities. We demand that Hamas release all the hostages it has captured and that the IDF stop its indiscriminate bombing campaign. A ceasefire must be brokered to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.