TRANSCRIPT
Two Palestinian journalists have been killed while on the job reporting, after an Israeli airstrike hit a car near Rafah in southern Gaza.
Hamza Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya were both freelance reporters and Dahdouh was the son of Al-Jazeera's chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael Dahdouh.
The Israeli Defence Forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the strike but have previously made statements claiming they would never deliberately target journalists.
International watchdog, the Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 79 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7th and has repeatedly expressed concerns at the apparent targeting of journalists in Gaza.
The C-P-J says it's now calling for an independent investigation into these two most recent killings.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently visiting the Middle East for talks, has expressed his condolences to the father Wael Dahdouh.
Earlier in the war, Wael Dahdouh lost his wife, two other children and a grandson.
“I am deeply, deeply sorry. For the almost unimaginable loss suffered by your colleague (Hamza) Dahdouh. I'm a parent myself. I can't begin to imagine the horror that he's experienced. Not once, but now twice. This is an unimaginable tragedy. And that's also been the case for, as I said, far too many innocent Palestinian men, women and children.”
Mr Blinken continues his fourth visit to the region since Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel sparked a major Israeli air and ground assault.
He says the primary purpose of the visit is to find ways to de-escalate regional tensions.
In discussions with Qatar’s emir and Jordan’s king, Mr Blinken spoke of the need for Israel to adjust its military operations to reduce civilian casualties and significantly boost the amount of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza.
"Too many Palestinian civilians are suffering from insufficient access to food, to water, to medicine, to other essential supplies - children most of all. We continue to raise with Israel the need to do everything possible to facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza and I will do so when I'm there again later this week."
The need for more to be done to protect civilians has been echoed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who says the suffering under Israel's intense military offensive has gone on too long.
German then English voiceover: "It is becoming more and more clear: Israel’s army must do more to protect civilians in Gaza. It must find ways to fight Hamas without so many people dying or be injured. The suffering of so many innocent people cannot go on like this. We need a less intensive operation.”
During meetings, Mr Blinken has also discussed plans for Gaza's post-war future, assuring Arab leaders that Washington opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza or the occupied West Bank.
"Palestinian civilians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow. They cannot, they must not, be pressed to leave Gaza. We reject the statements by some Israeli ministers and lawmakers calling for a resettlement of Palestinians outside of Gaza."
And the United States' continuing commitment to the release of hostages still held by Hamas has also been reiterated during Mr Blinken's visit.
Israeli officials say 123 people remain unaccounted for after they were abducted and taken to Gaza during the 7 October attacks.
Mr Blinken made this commitment to the remaining hostages.
"To those still being held hostage, to their loved ones, to their families, I promise you this: The United States will continue to work relentlessly to bring you home, to get you together with your family and loved ones."
It comes as family members of six of these hostages have returned home after attending meetings with senior Qatari officials involved in negotiations for the return of the hostages.
Ruby Chen is the father of hostage, Itay Chen, and was one of the participants in the meetings.
He says his concerns for the safety of his son only grow as the time passes and the conflict continues.
“They believe, the Qataris, that some sort of temporary pause in the fighting will expedite the negotiations that will enable to bling hostages back home alive. We have no time. The more time that we wait, the more hostages will not come back alive.”
