Gaza's civil defense agency on Monday reported that at least 20 people were killed, including five journalists, after Israeli strikes hit a hospital in the southern part of the strip. International media organisations mourned the loss of their contributors.
Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the civil defense agency, stated that the total number of "martyrs" was 20, which included "five journalists and one member of the civil defense," following strikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. This large medical complex in the south has been targeted multiple times by Israel since the war began. According to media watchdogs, approximately 200 journalists have been killed in the nearly two-year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed its troops "carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis." The statement added that the Chief of the General Staff had "instructed to conduct an initial inquiry as soon as possible," and that the military "regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such."
Bassal, from the civil defense, claimed that the incident began with an Israeli explosive drone targeting a building at Nasser Hospital, which was followed by an air strike as the wounded were being evacuated.
International news media house confirmed that one of its photojournalists and cameramen, Mohammad Salama, was killed in the attack. The broadcaster issued a statement condemning the act, calling it a "horrific crime committed by the Israeli occupation forces, who have directly targeted and assassinated journalists as part of a systematic campaign to silence the truth."
The media houses expressed its shock and sadness over the death of Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old visual journalist who had freelanced for the agency since the start of the war. An earlier statement noted that Dagga was not on an assignment with the agency at the time of her death.
A media spokesperson also provided a statement, saying, "We are devastated to learn of the death of Reuters contractor Hussam al-Masri and injuries to another of our contractors, Hatem Khaled, in Israeli strikes on the Nasser hospital in Gaza today." The spokesperson added that the organisation was "urgently seeking more information" and had asked authorities in Gaza and Israel to help provide "urgent medical assistance for Hatem."
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate identified two other victims as Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmad Abu Aziz. According to journalists, Abu Taha had worked with several Palestinian and international media outlets. Due to media restrictions and difficulties in accessing many areas of Gaza, international media was unable to independently verify the casualty figures and details provided by the civil defense agency or the Israeli military.
Footage from the immediate aftermath of the attack, captured showed smoke filling the air and debris from the blast on the ground outside the hospital. Palestinians were seen rushing to assist the victims, carrying bloodied bodies and severed body parts into the medical complex. One body was visibly dangling from the top floor of the targeted building. A woman in medical scrubs and a white coat was among the injured, carried on a stretcher with a heavily bandaged leg and blood on her clothing.
Nasser Hospital is one of the few remaining health facilities in the Gaza Strip that is at least partially operational.
Also Read: Gaza death toll crosses 62,000 amid ongoing IDF strikes
Prior to these latest killings, media advocacy groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders had reported that around 200 journalists had been killed in the conflict. Earlier in the month, an Israeli air strike outside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of four Al Jazeera staff members and two freelancers, leading to widespread condemnation.
The Israeli military claimed that Anas al-Sharif, a prominent correspondent killed in that strike, was the head of a Hamas "terrorist cell" and was "responsible for advancing rocket attacks" against Israelis. The CPJ criticised that strike, emphasising that journalists should never be targeted in war.
The conflict in Gaza began with Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to reports, count based on official figures. In response, Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,744 Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable.
Also Read: 25 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza amid worsening famine
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