Five journalists among 20 killed in Israeli strike in Gaza Hospital

GAZA: An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza on Monday killed at least 20 people, including five journalists working for international news outlets such as Reuters, the Associated Press (AP), and Al Jazeera, according to Palestinian health officials.

One of the first strikes killed cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, near a live broadcast point on the upper floors of the hospital in Khan Younis. Photographer Hatem Khaled, also a Reuters contractor, sustained injuries in the same attack.

According to hospital staff and witnesses, a second strike followed shortly after, targeting the rescue effort. That strike killed additional journalists, medics, and emergency responders who had rushed to assist the victims of the first attack.

The journalists confirmed killed include:

• Hussam al-Masri – Reuters cameraman
• Mariam Abu Dagga – Freelanced for AP and other outlets
• Mohammed Salama – Worked for Al Jazeera
• Moaz Abu Taha – Freelance journalist who contributed to Reuters
• Ahmed Abu Aziz – Independent journalist

International Media Outlets React

A Reuters spokesperson expressed devastation over the loss of their team members and urged both Israeli and Gaza authorities to assist with urgent medical support for the wounded photographer.

“We are urgently seeking more information,” the statement said, emphasizing the critical need for assistance for Hatem Khaled.

The Associated Press said it was “shocked and saddened” by the death of Abu Dagga, who had recently reported on malnourished children at the hospital. Al Jazeera also condemned the strike, calling it part of an ongoing threat to journalists in Gaza.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate called the strike “an open war against free media,” and urged international action to stop the targeting of journalists. The organization claims over 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) estimates that 197 journalists and media workers have died during the conflict — including 189 Palestinians, as well as others in Lebanon and Israel. The CPJ called for global accountability over what it described as repeated unlawful attacks on the press.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed striking the area around Nasser Hospital but said an investigation had been launched.

“The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists,” the military said. It claimed to take measures to minimize civilian harm while ensuring troop safety.

This is not the first high-profile journalist death under investigation. In October 2023, Israeli tank fire killed Issam Abdallah, a Reuters journalist in southern Lebanon. That case also remains unresolved.

At the time of the strike, Reuters had been broadcasting a live video feed from the hospital — which abruptly cut off at the moment of the explosion. The feed had served as a regular visual window into Gaza for international media throughout the war.

Since the start of the war, Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza. As a result, nearly all international coverage from the ground has come from Palestinian journalists, many of whom have worked for global media organizations for years.