The United Nations has raised a serious alarm concerning the significant number of journalists killed in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli offensive against the besieged Palestinian territory. The warning was issued on Monday, just one day after two journalists, identified as Hamza Wael al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya, lost their lives in an Israeli strike on their car in southern Gaza.

Hamza al-Dahdouh, the son of al-Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh, and Mustafa Thuraya were killed in the city of Khan Yunis as they were en route to the Moraj area northeast of Rafah, which had been designated a "humanitarian zone" by the Israeli army but had recently experienced bombings.

Expressing deep concern, the UN rights office stated on social media, "Very concerned by high death toll of media workers in Gaza." The office emphasized the necessity of thoroughly and independently investigating the killings to ensure strict compliance with international law and prosecute any violations.

Florencia Soto Nino, deputy spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, highlighted the repeated calls for the protection and respect of journalists in Gaza. She emphasized the importance of allowing journalists to carry out their profession freely and safely.

In late December 2023, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a US-based rights advocacy organization, declared the Israeli aggression on Gaza as the most dangerous situation for journalists. The first 10 weeks of the ongoing conflict were labeled the deadliest ever recorded for journalists, marking the highest number of journalists killed in a single year in one location.