Hisham al-Nawajha
He was Killed by an Israeli airstrike on the Babel Tower in Gaza City.
Hisham al-Nawajha died after sustaining severe injuries from an Israeli airstrike targeting the Babel Tower block on October 10, 2023. He had been covering the pre-announced strike on the nearby Hajji Tower, which housed the Al-Khamisa newsroom. Despite moving to what was thought to be a safer observation point, the adjacent area came under direct attack. Hisham was critically wounded in the blast and died shortly after being transported to Al-Shifa Hospital.
Biography
Hisham al-Nawajha, a 27-year-old Palestinian photojournalist working for the news website Al-Khamisa, was killed on October 10, 2023, in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City’s Babel Tower. He and his editor, Saeed al-Tawil, had evacuated their office in the nearby Hajji Tower and positioned themselves close to the Babel Tower to document the announced Israeli strike on their newsroom building. Al-Nawajha was critically wounded in the explosion and later died at Al-Shifa Hospital. His death, along with those of his colleagues, became a stark symbol of the extreme risks faced by journalists covering the war in Gaza.
At just 27 years old, Hisham al-Nawajha had already established himself as a dedicated and talented photojournalist with the Palestinian news outlet Al-Khamisa. Known for his courage and commitment to documenting life in Gaza amid constant conflict, he often covered airstrikes and humanitarian crises to bring visibility to the suffering of civilians. On October 10, 2023, after Israeli forces announced an imminent strike on the Hajji Tower—where Al-Khamisa’s offices were located—Hisham and his editor Saeed al-Tawil evacuated the building to continue their coverage from a safer distance near the Babel Tower. Moments later, an Israeli missile struck the area, killing Saeed instantly and leaving Hisham gravely injured. He was rushed to Al-Shifa Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. His death was part of a tragic event that also killed journalist Mohammed Soboh of Khabar agency. Hisham’s bravery and final assignment underscored the perilous conditions under which journalists in Gaza operate, even when iden
Sources & References
These three journalists were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit the Babel tower block in Gaza City on 10 October. Photo-journalist Hisham al-Nawajha and his editor, Saeed al-Tawil, had evacuated the office of the Palestinian news website Al-Khamisa in the nearby Hajji tower block and had stationed themselves close to the Babel Tower to cover the pre-announced Israeli strike on their tower block. Al-Tawil was killed instantly while Al-Nawajha was badly injured and died after being rushed to Al-Shifa Hospital. Mohammed Soboh, a photo-journalist with the Palestinian news agency Khabar, was also killed instantly while covering Israel’s attack on the Hajji Tower from the Babel Tower. During the funeral ceremony for the three journalists in a Gaza City hospital a few hours later, helmets worn by press reporters were placed atop the white sheets covering their bodies as a tribute to their work as journalists.1 rsf.org Open source