During the afternoon of Monday, 21 July 2025, Israeli Special Forces conducted an operation at the Al-Mawasi Red Cross Field Hospital to the west of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, resulting in the death of 34-year-old journalist Tamer al-Za’anin, the injury and imprisonment of Marwan al-Hams, Director of Field Hospitals at the Ministry of Health, and the further injuries of journalist Ibrahim Atef Abu Ushaibeh and doctor and Ministry of Health administrator, Bilal Fayez Barhoum. The IDF reported the operation via their Twitter/X account, @IDFOfficial, confirming the imprisonment of Dr al-Hams, but making no further reference to the dead and injured journalists and medical colleagues.

According to Shehab News Agency, the armed Special Forces soldiers carried out the attack near the Al-Mawasi Field Hospital, opening fire on a group of civilians who were in a cafe opposite the hospital. This reportedly resulted in the deaths of two people, including Tamer; the second victim was not named. Both the Palestinian Center for the Protection of Journalists (PJPC) and Facebook source 3w reported that the attack occurred while Tamer and Ibrahim were interviewing Dr al-Hams in front of the hospital. Palestine Information Center reported that Tamer was killed by direct gunfire from the Special Forces soldiers. They also shared photos and video of an injured Ibrahim in the ambulance, waiting to be transferred to hospital. Meanwhile, Shehab News reported that Dr al-Hams was taken by the Israeli forces and transferred to an Israeli interrogation centre in Rafah. While the IDF statement referred to Dr al-Hams as a “Hamas terrorist,” there is no mention of in local sources of his involvement in hostilities or militant activities, therefore he has been counted as a civilian until further information is found.

News agencies, including Shehab, and friends and family of Tamer, shared images and videos from his funeral. Malamimalamy via Twitter/X reported that the funeral occurred after Tamer’s family, who had previously fled to the west of Khan Younis, were able to say their goodbyes. According to Mohamed Alzanin on Facebook, Tamer was “calm, kind, and hardworking.” With his death, a friend wrote, he had “broke[n] our hearts.” Originally from Beit Hanoun, neighbours remembered him as the “most wonderful young man, [a] dear, generous friend, who always volunteered in the field.” Many friends considered him to be like a “brother,” with friend Nedal Fawzi Abo Zein writing that they “still can’t believe you’ve left this life.”

The Palestinian Center for the Protection of Journalists (PJPC) condemned the attack and reported that Tamer was working for German Channel 4 at the time of his death, working on the production of a documentary for the channel.

Ibrahim was reportedly transferred to Nasser Medical Complex for treatment, according to a Facebook post by Abdallah Alattar. A subsequent post from the account 3w also via Facebook reported that Ibrahim underwent four hours of surgery focused on his right hand, which had allegedly sustained severed veins and arteries in the attack. Dr Barhoum, an administrative doctor who had been working alongside Dr. al-Hams on the day of the attack, was also reportedly in critical condition and receiving treatment in the intensive care unit, according to Abdallah Alattar via X/Twitter.

The Gaza Ministry of Health released a statement strongly condemning the detention of Dr al-Hams, Director of Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital, who also oversaw field hospitals and served as a ministry spokesperson. According to a post by Zahraa_alyemen2 on X/Twitter, Dr. al-Hams was being held at Ashkelon Prison with a gunshot wound to the foot – allegedly sustained during his detention – and was reportedly being denied medical treatment.

Photographs shared by mourners show Tamer in a grey shirt, emblazoned with a picture of New York City and the words “Manhattan Bridge.” Other photographs show Ibrahim in his Press flak jacket, and Marwan al-Hams in his medical coat, sitting at his desk. A photograph of Bilal Barhoum at a protest, taken the day before he was injured, shows him holding a sign: Famine in Gaza.

Reports on 1 August 2025 from multiple sources stated that an Israeli Court had extended the period of Dr al-Hams’ detention in prison until 11 September 2025. The IDF’s statement via Twitter/X acknowledged that they had apprehended the Doctor as they believed he, “Was Involved in Determining the Death of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin and Suspected of Knowing His Burial Location in the “White-Crowned” Tunnel in Rafah.” While the IDF declared al-Hams a “Hamas terrorist,” no open source alleged any militant activity on his part. It is not Airwars’ position to accept accusations of militancy from a belligerent as evidence. As such, al-Hams has been categorised as a civilian.

The current status of the Doctor was unclear at the time of publish.

Where possible, the names of the victims have been matched with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) lists, which include national ID numbers. Since October 26, 2023, the MoH has released a number of lists, along with an additional list of medical professionals, which was released on September 17, 2024. Airwars is matching individuals to the first list where their name appeared. In regard to this incident, Tamer’s name was matched to the twelfth “Palestinian Ministry of Health List of Fatalities in Gaza”, which was released in February 2026.