At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed Monday when Israeli airstrikes hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials. The victims included reporters and camera operators working with Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and other outlets.
The first strike killed Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri as he operated a live feed from the hospital’s upper floors. Moments later, a second blast struck rescuers, medics, and fellow journalists rushing to aid the wounded. Among those killed were Mariam Abu Dagga (Associated Press freelancer), Mohammed Salama (Al Jazeera), Moaz Abu Taha (freelancer), and Ahmed Abu Aziz. Photographer Hatem Khaled, also with Reuters, was injured.
Israel’s military confirmed targeting the area but said an internal investigation was underway. “The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists,” a spokesperson said, while stressing the difficulty of fighting Hamas in civilian areas.
Global media organizations expressed outrage. Reuters called the loss “devastating” and appealed for urgent medical assistance for the wounded. The Associated Press said it was “shocked and saddened,” highlighting that Abu Dagga had often reported on malnourished children from the same hospital.
Condemnations poured in from Palestinian officials, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, which said nearly 200 journalists have been killed since the war began in October 2023.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted briefly when asked by reporters: “I’m not happy about it… we have to end that whole nightmare.”
The incident underscores the growing dangers for Palestinian journalists, who have become the world’s primary source of reporting inside Gaza since the foreign press was barred. For many, the deadly strike at Nasser Hospital symbolized not only the escalating violence but also the peril of documenting it.
