Mohammed Alaa Al-Sawalhi, 21, a Palestinian cameraman with Al-Quds Al-Youm TV, was killed on September 17, 2025, in an Israeli drone strike at the southern gate of Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Medical Complex. The attack reportedly killed several people and wounded others, including Al-Sawalhi’s brother, journalist Belal Alaa Al-Sawalhi, 23, who was seriously injured.
“I was walking with my brother Mohammed around 6 p.m. near the southern gate of Al-Shifa Medical Complex when suddenly a missile struck us and the people around us,” Belal told CPJ, specifying that it was a drone attack. “Mohammed was martyred instantly. Even though I was injured in my abdomen, I carried him immediately to the hospital, but he died right away.”
The brothers had both been pursuing diplomas in multimedia at Israa University in Gaza, but suspended their studies when the war began.
In response to CPJ’s inquiry about Al-Sawalhi killing, the IDF’s North America Media Desk wrote in an email that “the IDF struck several key Islamic Jihad terrorists in the area of Gaza City. Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians as much as possible.”