At least 15 people, including four journalists working with international media outlets, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, according to officials in the Hamas-run territory.
Among the victims were a Reuters cameraman, a freelance journalist for the Associated Press (AP), and a journalist reportedly working with Al Jazeera. The fourth journalist has been identified as photographer Muath Abu Taha.
Details of the Attack
The Hamas-run Civil Defence said several people were killed in an initial strike, with more deaths recorded when a second missile hit as rescuers were attending to the wounded.
The Israeli military confirmed it carried out the strike, but insisted that it “does not target journalists as such,” and added that an investigation had been launched.
Footage from the scene showed chaos inside and outside the hospital. A doctor was seen holding up bloodied clothing from victims of the first strike when a second blast sent people fleeing. Thick smoke, shattered glass, and frantic screams filled the hospital grounds as ambulances rushed in.
Journalists Killed
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Husam al-Masri, Reuters cameraman
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Mariam Dagga, AP freelance journalist
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Mohammed Salameh, journalist reportedly with Al Jazeera
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Muath Abu Taha, photographer
AP said it was “shocked and saddened” by the death of 33-year-old Mariam Dagga, while Reuters confirmed the loss of its staff member, Husam al-Masri.
Rising Toll on Journalists
The Civil Defence confirmed that one of its members also died in the strike. This attack comes just two weeks after six journalists, including four from Al Jazeera, were killed in an Israeli strike near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
The UN Human Rights Office previously condemned such attacks as a grave breach of international law.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also criticized Israel, saying the country has failed to provide evidence to support its claims that some slain journalists were part of militant groups.
Broader Conflict
According to Gaza’s health ministry, which the UN considers reliable, more than 62,686 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that left around 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.
The latest strike brings the estimated number of journalists killed in Gaza since the war began to about 200.
Source: Trendz Gh
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