File photo of an earlier destruction of Gaza's Shifa Hospital. Photo Credit: WHO
Gaza/Jerusalem: At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed o when Israeli airstrikes hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, today. The facility was struck twice—first from above, then again minutes later as medical staff, rescuers and media workers converged on the site in an apparent “double-tap” attack—shuttering live feeds, trapping the fallen inside, and shattering hospital corridors.
Among those killed were Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri; freelance visual journalist Mariam Abu Dagga of the Associated Press; Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Salama; independent reporter Moaz Abu Taha; and media worker Ahmad Abu Aziz. Reuters contractor photographer Hatem Khaled was wounded in the second strike. Their deaths drew global shock and raised renewed concerns over the safety of press workers in war zones.
Hussam al-Masri was a Reuters contractor who often operated from a known fourth-floor perch at the hospital, providing live feeds of the escalating conflict until the strike abruptly cut the feed. His work delivered real-time images from the frontlines.
Mariam Abu Dagga, 33, a freelance visual journalist for AP and other outlets, was widely respected for her dedication, bravery, and compassionate storytelling—particularly her powerful coverage of malnourished children and the beleaguered civilians of Gaza. Born in Khan Younis and a graduate of Al-Aqsa University, she began her journalism career in 2015. She leaves behind a 13-year-old son, to whom she had dedicated a tender, enduring message. Her loss resonated deeply with colleagues, who remembered her as resilient, gentle, and fearless.
Mohammed Salama, an Al Jazeera photographer, had been covering Gaza for many months and was planning a wedding with fellow journalist Hala Asfour—hoping for a ceasefire before the flames of war consumed that hope.
Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance reporter and contributor to multiple news outlets, documented the conflict’s relentless toll. His death added to mounting grief and outrage.
Ahmad Abu Aziz—who reported for the Quds Feed Network and Middle East Eye among others—also succumbed to his injuries, his passing underscoring the widespread human cost of the attack.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the strike as an “open war against free media,” noting that more than 240 journalists have perished since the conflict began in October 2023. The Committee to Protect Journalists and the Foreign Press Association denounced it as one of the deadliest known attacks on international media in Gaza.
In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—via an official statement and a post on X—called it a “tragic mishap” and said Israel “deeply regrets” the deaths. He reiterated that the ongoing war is against Hamas, not civilians, and pledged a military investigation.
International condemnation followed swiftly. France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Turkey called for an impartial probe; United Nations officials and media freedom NGOs demanded accountability. United States President Donald Trump voiced his displeasure, saying he was “not happy”.
Israel’s continued prohibition on foreign journalists entering Gaza has complicated independent verification and drawn criticism from press rights organizations.
While Israel has denied deliberately targeting the hospital or journalists and claimed that its campaign remains aimed at Hamas, the strike has intensified scrutiny of its military operations and renewed questions about the safety of those documenting the war.
Netanyahu’s expression of regret has done little to blunt the criticism, as calls mount internationally for guarantees of civilian and press safety in the war zone.,
