Gaza City — An Israeli airstrike on al-Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday left at least 20 people dead, including four journalists, according to health officials. The attack, which also injured additional reporters and rescue workers, has drawn international outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of media professionals covering the nearly two-year-long war.
Among the victims were Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters cameraman; Mariam Abu Dagga, who freelanced for the Associated Press; Mohammed Salam of Al Jazeera; and Moaz Abu Taha, who worked with NBC. Another Reuters photographer, Hatem Khaled, was seriously wounded.
Strike During Rescue Efforts
Footage from Al-Ghad TV showed civil defense workers and journalists attempting to retrieve al-Masri’s body after an earlier strike on the hospital’s fourth floor. Moments later, another explosion struck the same location, killing both rescuers and reporters who had raised their hands to shield themselves seconds before impact. Videos released later depicted a pile of bodies where they had been standing.
The Gaza health ministry said the second strike deliberately hit the same spot, disrupting ongoing rescue efforts. Hospital officials also reported that surgery in the operating theater was interrupted, describing the bombing as part of a “systematic destruction of the health system.” Al-Nasser is the last functioning public hospital in southern Gaza.
International Media Reacts
The Associated Press said it was “shocked and saddened” by the death of Dagga, 33, who had been documenting the collapse of Gaza’s health services, including children starving despite having no prior illnesses. Reuters issued a statement expressing devastation at the loss of al-Masri and called for urgent medical assistance for Khaled. Al Jazeera also confirmed the death of its correspondent, Salam.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 192 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023, more than the global total of media fatalities over the previous three years combined. The CPJ has accused Israel of carrying out “a deliberate and systematic attempt to silence coverage from Gaza.”
Israeli Military Response
The Israeli military said its chief-of-staff had ordered a preliminary investigation into the incident, acknowledging regret for harm caused to “uninvolved personnel.” Officials insisted that journalists were not specifically targeted. However, human rights groups note that Israeli investigations into military misconduct rarely lead to accountability. For instance, Israel never completed its probe into the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot by an Israeli sniper while reporting for Al Jazeera.
Wider Violence and Humanitarian Toll
The strikes on al-Nasser Hospital were part of a broader wave of violence on Monday. At least six people were killed and 15 wounded in central Gaza while approaching an aid distribution site operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Witnesses accused Israeli soldiers of opening fire, though the Israeli military and GHF denied deliberately targeting civilians seeking aid.
Elsewhere in Gaza City, an Israeli strike on a residential building killed three people, including a child, as Israel prepared for what it described as a full-scale invasion and occupation of the city. Aid groups warn such an operation will worsen famine conditions and force mass displacement.
The Human Cost of War
Health authorities report that more than 62,600 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict erupted nearly 22 months ago. Israel’s assault began after the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israeli communities, which left about 1,200 dead and 250 kidnapped.
With international journalists barred from entering Gaza, local Palestinian reporters continue to risk — and often lose, their lives to document the war. As the CPJ noted, their sacrifice underscores not only the perils of frontline reporting but also the growing danger of silenced voices in one of the world’s most scrutinized conflicts.
By the Midtown Times Editorial Board
