Ismail Abu Hatab

Their life

Ismail Abu Hatab (1993–2025) was a Palestinian photojournalist and filmmaker, born and raised in Gaza City. A graduate of the University College of Applied Sciences, he became known for his committed frontline coverage of the Gaza conflict, working with international media outlets such as BBC, DW, and CARE International. He founded C‑light and co-created ByPa, a platform and online marketplace devoted to amplifying Palestinian artists and storytellers.

Ismail began his journey in photography and filmmaking in the early 2000s, capturing daily life under siege in Gaza. By 2008, he had already started freelancing, and in the years that followed he worked with international organizations and news outlets, earning a reputation for his evocative visual storytelling. In November 2023, while filming from al-Ghafari Tower, he sustained serious injuries that affected him for months. Undeterred, he returned to work and mounted exhibitions abroad, including the acclaimed "Between Sky and Sea" in Los Angeles and a showcase at Chicago’s Haymarket House—and even planned future shows in France. Through ByPa, he supported fellow Palestinian creatives, showcasing their art via an Etsy storefront. Colleagues remember him as a hopeful, resilient artist dedicated to illuminating both the hardships and humanity of Gaza.

How they died

Abu Hatab was killed instantly when a missile hit the crowded café—known as a gathering place for journalists, artists, and residents—generating a massive blast with flying shrapnel, collapsing structures, and a deep crater at the site

On June 30, 2025, during an Israeli airstrike targeting Al‑Baqa Café—a well-known seaside venue in Gaza City frequented by artists, journalists, students, and families—Ismail was killed by a missile strike. He died instantly from the blast’s impact.

A plea from the family

Ismail’s mother, overcome with grief, was photographed kneeling and crying over his body outside Shifa Hospital. The image captured an anguished mother’s plea for an end to the killing of journalists in Gaza Colleagues and fellow artists mourned him across social media, emphasizing his role as a vital witness to Gaza's suffering: “He was always the hopeful face in the middle of every tragic scene—a strong, kind-hearted, and hardworking photo‑journalist and director who just wanted to show the world the true picture of Gaza.”

Why we remember them

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

References & sources