By Lubna Masarwa – Middle East Eye
An Israeli air strike killed a Palestinian journalist and her family in a direct attack on her home in the central Gaza Strip, local authorities said on Monday.
Wafa Aludaini, a prominent English-speaking reporter who worked with international news outlets, died alongside her husband, Mueir Aludaini, and their two children in the overnight attack.
She was mourned by many fellow journalists who praised her dedication to bringing the stories of Palestinians to the world.
“Aludaini was well-known among European media outlets and conveyed the suffering of our people in English, which she was a master of,” Ahmed Abu Artema, a Palestinian journalist and friend of Aludaini, told Middle East Eye.
“The justification for her targeting are her words and work as a journalist,” he added.
The Gaza-based government media office said Aludaini was the 174th journalist that Israel has killed in Gaza since 7 October.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli occupation’s targeted assassination of Palestinian journalists,” the media office said.
Jana Ridvanova, a spokeswoman for Friends of Palestine in Prague in Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, said Aludaini had provided her group with regular updates from Gaza.
“Wafa was a cofounder of October 16th group which informs us every day about what is happening in Palestine.” She said.
“Wafa is yet another journalist who was brutally silenced with her family by the genocidal power of Western colonialism.
“I will never forget you Wafa! Your courage when you knew you could be targeted next because you were a journalist…ou and your family will always be in my heart Wafa. Rest in Power.”
According to media reports, the ongoing Israeli strikes on Gaza – which have not stopped a single day for nearly a year except for a six-day truce – killed at least 16 people on Monday by noon.
Air strikes were reported in residential areas in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahia city, Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah and the coastal Mawasi area in Rafah.
Over the past 24 hours, Israel attacks in Gaza killed at least 20 people, according to Palestinian health ministry.
This brings the death toll to 41,615 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces across the Gaza Strip since 7 October, including an estimated 16,700 children, according to health officials.
Meanwhile, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed an ambush on Israeli forces east of Khan Younis city, which it said killed and wounded several Israeli soldiers.
Hamas fighters targeted two Israeli tanks, two armoured personnel carriers and two military bulldozers in the attack, the group said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.