GAZA, Palestine

At least eight journalists were killed and two others went missing in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, which started after Hamas's surprise offensive in Israel on Saturday, the Palestinian enclave's press office said on Wednesday.

The office in a statement said the slain journalists were Said al-Tavil, Muhammed Subh, Hisham en-Nawacihe, Ibrahim Lafi, Muhammed Cergun, Muhammed es-Salihi, Esad Shemlah and Selame Mime, and two other journalists, Nidal al-Vahidi and Heysem Abdulvahid, were unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, the houses of three journalists were completely destroyed and at least 40 media outlets were said to be the target of airstrikes.

The situation escalated in the Gaza Strip following a multifront attack by Palestinian group Hamas. Israel retaliated with airstrikes and placed the enclave under total blockade. It also cut water and electricity supply to Gaza, inevitably worsening the already dire humanitarian situation.

At least 2,100 people have been killed in the violence – 900 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis.



Home to nearly 2.2 million people, the Gaza Strip has already been reeling under a crippling Israeli siege since 2007.