Abdullah Omar Ismail Shakshak

Their life

​Palestinian journalist Abdullah Omar Ismail Shakshak was 48 years old at the time of his death on September 14, 2024. He was killed by an Israeli military quadcopter drone outside his home near the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza. Shakshak had worked with various Arab media outlets, and his death brought the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 173 at that time. ​

​Abdullah Omar Ismail Shakshak was a 48-year-old Palestinian freelance journalist from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He was married and had a family. On September 14, 2024, Shakshak was killed by an Israeli military quadcopter drone while standing in front of his home near the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah. The drone strike targeted him directly, resulting in his immediate death. Due to ongoing attacks in the area, ambulance crews were initially unable to retrieve his body.
Shakshak collaborated with several Arab media outlets, contributing to the documentation of events and conditions in Gaza. His work was part of a broader effort by Palestinian journalists to report on the realities of life under conflictShakshak collaborated with several Arab media outlets, contributing to the documentation of events and conditions in Gaza.
His death brought the number of journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to at least 173. This alarming figure underscores the heightened risks faced by media professionals in conflict zones and has drawn condemnation from various organizations advocating for press freedom and the protection of journalists.
The targeting of journalists like Shakshak has intensified calls from international communities and press freedom organizations for accountability and the implementation of measures to safeguard journalists operating in dangerous environments.

How they died

targeted killed by an Israeli military quadcopter drone

A plea from the family

As of now, there are no publicly available statements or pleas from the surviving relatives or family members of Palestinian journalist Abdullah Omar Ismail Shakshak, who was killed by an Israeli military quadcopter drone in Rafah, southern Gaza, on September 14, 2024. The ongoing conflict and associated dangers in the region may have hindered the dissemination of personal testimonies from his family.​ However, the broader journalistic and human rights communities have expressed profound concern over the targeting of media professionals in Gaza. The Gaza Government Media Office condemned the killing of Shakshak, emphasizing the need for international accountability for what it described as "crimes against journalists."

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Abdullah Omar Ismail Shakshak, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources