Israeli forces bombed Khan Eunice’s Nasser Hospital on Monday, killing five journalists, including staff working for the Associated Press, Reuters, NBC and Al Jazeera.
In total, 21 people were killed in the “double tap” strike – one missile was hit first, then another moment was bumped into as rescuers and journalists arrived – at a major medical facility in South Gaza.
One of the people killed was freelance photographer Moaz Abu Taha.
Reuters photojournalist Husam Al Masri was one of five journalists killed in the attack.
Furthermore, Mohammed Salama, a photographer who worked for Al Jazeera and the Middle Eastern Eye, was another journalist killed there. Also, 33-year-old Mariam Dagga was a freelance journalist working with the Associated Press. She was one of five journalists killed on an Israeli strike on Monday.
Also on the same day, the Israeli regime’s army later killed another journalist in another incident at Khan Eunice, bringing the death toll to six.
Israeli forces’ murder of six Palestinian journalists and attacks on Nasser Hospital in Gaza sparked global condemnation.
The attack comes as the Israeli regime was declared last week, but it intensified the attack to seize Gaza, a major urban centre with an enclave of 2.3 million people.
Here are some reactions to the latest massacre of journalists in invaded enclaves:
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC) member states is holding an extraordinary meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to discuss the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinians.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, the OIC accused Israeli military of killing journalists and media experts of “war crimes” and “attack on freedom of the press.”
China condemns Israeli strike at Gaza Hospital that killed 21
Guo Zi-Kung, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters. “We are expressing our sympathy for the victims and their families,” said Guo Zi-Kung, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that an attack on the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza killed 21 people on the fourth floor of the hospital, and was called a “double tap” strike, with one missile being the first hit and then another moment when rescuers arrived.
Australia’s Foreign Minister says Israel will make “terrifying” attacks at Nasser Hospital
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the ceasefire in a statement released on Monday following the fatal attack on Israeli Nasser Hospital.
“What we saw overnight in the attack on the hospital is horrifying and what we say to Prime Minister Netanyahu is that you should be aware of the world’s calls and agree to a ceasefire,” the minister said in a statement.
“You should take the advice of your army and agree to a ceasefire. This war must cease,” Wong added.
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)
The PFLP, a left-wing Palestinian fact founded in 1967, said the attack was evidence of “the absolute cruelty and sadism of (Israel) occupation.”
Israel and its allies added that supporters led by the US administration are “fully responsible for this organized crime.”
PFLP is the second largest group in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) after Fatah.
Qatar
Qatar said the Israeli attack is taking into account a new episode “with a continuous string of heinous crimes committed by the occupation of the brothers Palestinians and a blatant violation of international law.”
Iran
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said the attack constituted a “wild war crime” committed by Israel to advance its “prosecution of the Palestinians.”
Other Israeli allies who armed it during the war after being complicit in Israel’s “terrifying crimes” must be held responsible for the international community, Esmael Baghihai said in a short statement.
turkey
Ankara accused the strike of “another war crime.”
“The freedom of the press and human values have once again been targeted, under the shadow of genocide, in the cries of anguish of innocent people,” said Bruhanettin Duran, the director of the Presidential Communications Bureau, in a post in X.
“Israel, which continues its atrocities regardless of humanitarian or legal principles, lies under the illusion that it can prevent the truth from being revealed through systematic attacks on journalists.”
Egypt
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, describing it as another “blatant violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Egypt expresses strong condemnation of Israel’s occupation and intentional targeting of journalists and workers in the medical and humanitarian sectors, and rejects the genocide crimes committed against the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip,” he calls for the international community and the United Nations Security Council to intervene.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has condemned attacks on Israeli medical professionals and journalists, Al Jazeera reported.
“The Ministry emphasizes that the Kingdom has refusing Israel to continually violate international law and norms,” he said.
“The Kingdom calls on the international community to put an end to these Israeli crimes, highlighting the need to protect medical, relief and media personnel.”
England
Foreign Secretary David Lamy expressed his fear in the attack.
“I was terrified by the attack on Nasser Hospital in Israel. Civilians, healthcare workers and journalists must be protected. An immediate ceasefire is needed,” Ramy wrote in X’s post.
Spain
Spanish Foreign Ministry has issued a statement denounced the strike as a serious violation of humanitarian law.
“The Spanish government condemned Israeli attacks on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, leading to the deaths of four journalists and innocent civilians,” the ministry said.
“We repeat that we cannot target specially protected sites, a serious and unacceptable violation of international humanitarian law that we must investigate.”
The statement highlighted the importance of journalists’ special protections and reaffirmed Spain’s “full commitment” to access information.
Germany
Germany said he was “shocked by the murders of several journalists, rescuers and other civilians.”
“This attack must be investigated,” the Foreign Ministry said in X, calling on Israel to “give immediate access to independent foreign media and to protect journalists operating in Gaza.”
France
French President Emmanuel Macron said the strike was “unbearable.”
“Civilians and journalists must be protected under all circumstances. The media must be able to carry out their mission freely and independently to cover the reality of the conflict,” Macron said in a post in X.
“Reducing the population to hunger is a crime that must be stopped immediately,” he added.
Canada
Canada condemned the attack, saying Israel has an obligation to protect civilians in the combat zone.
“Canada has been horrified by the Israeli military strike at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, killing many civilians, including five journalists and rescuers and health authorities. Such an attack is unacceptable,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Committee to protect journalists
The CPJ has called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for “continued attacks on the media.”
In a statement, CPJ regional director Sarakuda said while Israel is killing journalists in the enclave, “the world has failed to act firmly in the most horrifying attacks ever faced in recent history.”
“These murders must now be over. The perpetrators should no longer be allowed to act with immunity,” Kuda said.
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the killing of Palestinians on the Israeli strike that struck Nasser Hospital and called for an investigation, spokesman Stephen Duharlic said.
“The Secretary-General recalls that civilians, including medical professionals and journalists, must always be respected and protected. He calls for a prompt and impartial investigation into these killings,” Dujarric told reporters.
Meanwhile, UN Rights Office spokesman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement that “the murder of journalists in Gaza should shock the world — not falling into shocked silence, but falling into action and demanding accountability and justice.”
United Nations Human Rights Agency:
The UN Human Rights Office has argued that “justice is necessary” after at least 20 people, including at least 20 journalists, were killed in the attack at a hospital in southern Gaza on Monday, the BBC reported.
Speaking to a Geneva reporter this morning, a spokesman for the UN Human Rights Office emphasized that “these investigations need to bring results.”
“These journalists are the eyes and ears of the whole world and must be protected,” says Thameen Al-Kheetan at a press conference.
“We need justice. We haven’t seen any outcomes or accountability measures yet.”
United Nations envoy Francesca Albanese
“The rescuer killed in duties. These scenes unfold every moment in Gaza, often invisible and barely documented,” said Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, in a post in X.
“I stated: How many must we be witnessed before we act to stop this massacre? We will break the blockade. We will impose an embargo on weapons. We will impose sanctions,” she wrote.
MNA