Israel Strikes Gaza Cafe Killing Dozens, Including Two Artists

The Indiscriminate Killing of Palestinian Civilians by Israel is Erasing Artistic, Cultural, and Activist Voices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2 July 2025

(NEW YORK) – Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) vehemently and unequivocally condemns Israel’s killing of Palestinian visual artist Amna Al-Salmi and Palestinian filmmaker Ismail Abu Hatab on June 30, 2025, as part of a series of strike attacks that claimed over 70 lives. The artists were among at least 30 killed at Al-Baqa Cafe in Gaza City, which had become a refuge and meeting place for artists, journalists, and activists, as one of the last remaining spaces in Gaza with electricity and internet access. ARC calls on the Israeli government to immediately halt its strikes and re-commit to a permanent ceasefire agreement, and urges the international community to take decisive action to ensure accountability for Israel’s ongoing targeting of civilians and cultural voices. 

“There are few words left to adequately condemn in its totality the depravity of the Israeli government’s attacks and campaign of erasure against the Palestinian people, its art, culture, land, and memory,” said ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault. “The appalling killing of Amna Al-Salmi and Ismail Abu Hatab, as well as those of other artists, journalists, and activists in just the past months alone, underscores a flagrant disregard for human rights, and seemingly indiscriminate terror. These must be understood as intentional acts that seek to dismantle and destroy art, culture, and identity; we cannot stand idly by. ARC renews our calls, in solidarity with countless international human rights organizations, to urgently end the ongoing devastation in Gaza, and urges the international community to establish a path toward justice, accountability, and the restoration of dignity for the Palestinian people. ”

Reports note at least two additional strikes in Gaza City beyond the cafe, including one on a hospital and another on a separate building. Additional reports document near-daily attacks of Israeli forces opening fire at or near food distribution points operated by U.S.-Israeli agencies, where civilians were gathering to receive aid; actions that have been widely condemned by the UN and its human rights office, which stated they constitute war crimes. These tragic attacks on artists follow the killing of artist Durgham Qreiqeh, along with his family, in an Israeli strike on his home in March 2025, and the arbitrary arrest and detention of artist and student Shaden Al-Qous in Jerusalem by the Israeli military in January. Civil society and international organizations continue to denounce the targeting of free expression and the press, particularly through killings and attacks on journalists. 

Ismail Abu Hata was a graduate of the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza City. His oeuvre spanned documentary film and photojournalism, which captured and expounded upon Palestinian struggles. He continued to create and work on his artistic projects, despite great personal risk and serious injuries that he sustained following a prior Israeli attack.

Amna Al-Salmi, who went by the artist name Frans, attended Al Aqsa University and graduated with distinction in fine arts photography. She had collaborated with numerous cultural groups and organizations, such as the Tamer Institute, and worked with children to help them cope with conflict through art. Her career spanned several disciplines, including muralism, sculpture, painting, and digital art. 

In a recent article, Al-Salmi’s brother shared one of the final messages he received from her, around an hour before the strike, which spoke to her own struggles and the current moment: “Life can be cruel, it puts us in situations that make us realise just how vulnerable we are when we’re alone, and how much strength we draw from the people we love.”

About ARC
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues.

For press inquiries, please contact:

Julie Trébault
Executive Director
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
+1 646.860.5446