Israel Airstrikes on Nasser Hospital Kill 20, Including Five Journalists

Khan Younis, Gaza – Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday killed at least 20 people, including five journalists reporting for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and other outlets, according to Palestinian health officials.

The first strike killed Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, while he was operating a live broadcast feed from the hospital’s upper floor. Moments later, a second strike targeted the same site, killing additional journalists, medics, and rescue workers who had rushed to assist.

Among those killed were Mariam Abu Dagga, a freelancer for the Associated Press; Mohammed Salama, a journalist with Al Jazeera; Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance reporter who occasionally contributed to Reuters; and Ahmed Abu Aziz. Reuters photographer Hatem Khaled was seriously wounded.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret, describing the incident as a “tragic mishap,” and reiterated that Israel’s war was against Hamas, not journalists or medical staff. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed striking the area and said an inquiry had been ordered by the Chief of Staff.

“The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such,” the military said in a statement, emphasizing its efforts to minimize civilian casualties while safeguarding its troops.

Reuters, in a statement, said it was “devastated” by the deaths of its contractors and demanded urgent medical assistance for the wounded photographer. The Associated Press said it was “shocked and saddened” by the loss, noting that Abu Dagga had frequently based herself at the hospital to cover humanitarian crises.

U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked at the White House, responded: “I didn’t know that. Well, I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare.”

The Palestinian presidency called on the United Nations and the Security Council to intervene and ensure the protection of journalists. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the strike as “an open war against free media,” reporting that more than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which has documented 197 media workers killed in the conflict to date—including 189 Palestinians—urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for what it described as unlawful attacks on the press.

Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin confirmed a formal investigation was underway. “Reporting from an active war zone carries immense risk, especially against a terrorist organization such as Hamas, which cynically hides behind civilians,” he said.

In a separate incident on Monday, doctors at Nasser Hospital reported that Israeli gunfire killed journalist Hassan Dohan at a tent camp in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis.

Earlier this month, Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and four other journalists were killed in an Israeli strike. Israel later claimed Sharif had ties to Hamas, a charge the broadcaster denied.

Reuters’ live feed from Nasser Hospital went dark at the exact moment of Monday’s initial strike. For months, Palestinian journalists have been providing frontline reporting from Gaza, as Israel has barred all foreign reporters from entering the enclave since the war began.

Israel is also still investigating the October 2023 killing of Issam Abdallah, a Reuters journalist fatally struck by Israeli tank fire in southern Lebanon. No findings have yet been released.