On August 18, 2025, freelance journalist Islam al-Komi, 36, was killed when Israeli airstrikes repeatedly hit a house adjacent to the building where he and his family had taken shelter in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of western Gaza City. Al-Komi worked as a freelance content writer collaborating with Blinx, a digital media platform based in the United Arab Emirates.
According to his brother, Bilal al-Komi, the family had been displaced and were staying in Tel al-Hawa when, at approximately 7:13 p.m., Israeli warplanes bombed a house next to where Islam and his family were sheltering. “The strike wounded his wife and their three children,” he told CPJ. “He called us asking for help in securing an ambulance, but we could not reach him.”
Minutes later, Israeli aircraft struck the adjacent house a second time, killing Islam al-Komi and further injuring his family. His wife and three children were transported for medical treatment.
CPJ emailed the IDF’s North America Media Desk seeking comment on al-Komi’s killing, but no response was received.