At least 30 dead in Israeli strike on internet cafe in Gaza popular with journalists
Warning: This story contains images and details that may distress some readers.
Gaza's civil defence agency said that at least 30 people — including women, children and multiple journalists — were killed and dozens more injured in an Israeli strike on Al-Baqa Cafe.
One of the few businesses to continue operating during the war, the cafe was a popular gathering spot for those seeking internet access, phone chargers and a place to work.
"The place is always crowded with people because [it] offers drinks, family seating and internet access," eyewitness Ahmed Al-Nayrab told AFP, recalling a "huge explosion that shook the area".
"I saw body parts flying everywhere, and bodies cut and burned … It was a scene that made your skin crawl."
Among the dead was 32-year-old Palestinian photojournalist and film director Ismail Abu Hatab.
Ismail Abu Hatab was known for curating photo exhibitions detailing the horrors of life in Gaza, including the immersive photography exhibition Between the Sky and the Sea, which was recently shown in Los Angeles.
He was previously injured in an Israeli air strike while working at the Al-Ghafari tower in November 2023, he said in an interview last year to NDTV World.
Well-known Palestinian journalist Bayan Abu Sultan was also among the dozens injured at the cafe, multiple media outlets confirmed.
At least 227 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the UN Human Rights Office, which condemned what it called the Israeli military's pattern of killings of journalists in Gaza.
Israeli military attacks reportedly killed 18 journalists in May 2025 alone, it added in a statement.
The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate confirmed that more than 220 journalists had been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Monday's strike came amid the latest offensive of the 20-month war, which started when Hamas militants entered Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking a further 251 hostage.
Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Since the war began, the Gaza Strip has experienced at least 10 partial and full communication and internet outages, limiting the flow of information to and from Gaza and preventing journalists from reporting.
Between June 10 and 21, the Gaza Strip experienced a complete internet outage and widespread mobile phone interruptions, which the Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority described as "systematic targeting".
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (also known as Reporters sans Frontières or RSF) both allege that Israel is directly targeting journalists in Gaza, something which Israel denies.
"Israeli forces have done everything in their power to prevent coverage of what is happening in Gaza, and have systematically targeted journalists who have taken tremendous risks to do their jobs," RSF campaign director Rebecca Vincent said.
Palestinian journalist Gathi Sabbah, 65, last month told The Journal that some public internet access points or cafes had become targets for Israeli drones.
"Even going to a cafe carries real risk to our lives," he told Palestinian journalist Hana Salah at The Journal.
"Many people have lost their lives just by being there, even though they were civilians."
Gaza's government media office said it condemned "in the strongest terms the systematic targeting, killing and assassination of Palestinian journalists" by Israeli forces.
In May, Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna was killed in an Israeli air strike just one day after she found out a documentary about her life in Gaza was to premiere in Cannes.
Approached for comment by AFP, the Israeli army said it was "looking into" the reports of the attack at Al-Baqa Cafe.
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