Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza Hospital Claim 20 Lives, Including Five Journalists

An attack by Israeli forces on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people on Monday, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense Agency. Among the casualties were five journalists and a civil defense worker. Agency spokesman Mahmoud Bassal reported that an Israeli drone strike on a building within the hospital compound was followed by another airstrike during an evacuation, resulting in the deaths. Nasser Hospital, one of the few partially operational medical centers in Gaza, has been repeatedly targeted during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Several international media organizations have confirmed the deaths of their journalists, including Al Jazeera cameraman Mohammed Salama, The Associated Press visual journalist Mariam Dagga, and Reuters contract journalist Hussam al-Masri. The Palestinian Journalists Union identified Muaz Abu Taha and Ahmed Abu Aziz as other journalists who lost their lives in the attack. In response, the Israeli army stated that it had carried out an attack in the area and launched a preliminary investigation. AFP video footage showed the aftermath, with smoke, bloodied bodies, and injured individuals, including medical personnel, being carried from the site. The conflict, which began with Hamas attacks in October 2023, has claimed the lives of nearly 200 journalists according to media monitoring organizations. The initial attacks resulted in 1,219 deaths in Israel, while Israeli attacks have resulted in over 62,700 Palestinian deaths, the majority of whom were civilians.