Vienna  - The International Press Institute (IPI), a group of editors, executives and journalists from around the media world, condemned Thursday the killing of a Reuters cameraman in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces.

Fadel Shana was killed by an Israeli tank shell on Wednesday during a military incursion into the Gaza Strip.

"IPI condemns this killing in the strongest possible terms and calls on the Israeli military to conduct an independent, timely and transparent investigation into the incident," IPI Director David Dadge said.

The Israeli military has said the target of the shelling was not the vehicle but militants in the area and expressed "regret" for Shana's death. But a spokeswoman added the incident occurred in a "fighting zone."

The IPI said Shana was in a vehicle clearly marked with a "flourescent press sign" and that journalists should be protected as civilians under the Geneva Convention.

The IPI, which brings together journalists from 120 countries, said video footage from Shana's camera showed a tank open fire and a shell explode in mid-air. Metal darts from the tank shell killed the cameraman and injured a Reuters soundwoman, IPI said, according to the Shifa hospital in Gaza. (dpa)