Hassan Hamaad
Israeli airstrike on his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza.
The Israeli military launched an airstrike on the Jabaliya refugee camp on October 6, 2024, striking the home of journalist Hassan Hamad. Eyewitnesses and Media Town’s director, Ashraf Mashharawi, confirmed that the explosion targeted only the room where Hassan was located, suggesting a precision strike. He was reportedly killed instantly, and his body arrived at Kamal Adwan Hospital severely mutilated. The strike occurred just after he had returned home to upload footage from his coverage of the ongoing Israeli incursion.
Biography
Hassan Hamad was a 19-year-old freelance journalist from the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza. Known for his dedication and bravery, he was among the last journalists still reporting from the north during the height of the conflict. Working with the local media outlet Media Town, which provides coverage for international networks including Al Jazeera, Hassan documented the devastating impact of Israeli operations on civilians. Despite receiving repeated threats warning him to leave northern Gaza, he refused to abandon his post, determined to continue telling the stories of his people. His life and career were tragically cut short when an Israeli strike hit his home, killing him instantly.
Born and raised in the Jabaliya refugee camp, Hassan Hamad developed a passion for journalism at an early age, witnessing first-hand the daily hardships of life under siege. He began working as a freelance journalist for Media Town, a Gaza-based media production company that provides visual content to international broadcasters such as Al-Jazeera. Despite his youth, he quickly earned a reputation for bravery and commitment to the truth, often working in extremely dangerous areas to capture footage of Israeli incursions and airstrikes.
In the months leading up to his death, Hassan received multiple threats, including a text message in May 2024 warning him to leave northern Gaza or face death. Nevertheless, he continued reporting, documenting Israeli operations and humanitarian suffering in the region. On 6 October 2024, after covering an Israeli ground operation in Jabaliya, Hassan returned home to transfer his footage to Media Town. Minutes later, an airstrike hit his house—destroying only his room and killi
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
According to RSF’s interview with Ashraf Mashharawi, Hassan’s brother reported that the missile “only hit Hassan’s room,” implying it was an intentional targeting. His family and colleagues have demanded justice and accountability for his killing, calling for an international investigation into the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza. They described him as a devoted and fearless young man who continued to report despite numerous threats, and whose only “weapon” was his camera.
Sources & References
One of the last journalists still working in the north of Gaza, Hassan Hamad was killed by an Israeli strike on October 6. According to witness accounts and a violent video published online, the journalist's body arrived “in pieces” at the Kamal Adwan hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip, following a strike on his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hassan Hamad was a freelance reporter. He worked with local media outlet Media Town that covers news for outlets including Al-Jazeera. Speaking to RSF, the organization's director Ashraf Mashharawi denounced a "targeted attack ” on the journalist, who had just returned home to transfer footage to the media outlet via his internet connection. “According to the journalist's brother,” says Ashraf Mashharawi, “the strike only hit Hassan Hamad's room, and directly hit the journalist's body.”1 rsf.org Open source