TEHRAN – Five journalists were killed in the Gaza Strip when an Israeli strike was hit by Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, raising concerns about targeting media personnel amid the regime’s ongoing military campaign. At least 20 people were killed in the attack.
Deceased journalists include Husam Al Masri of Reuters, Mariam Abu Dhaga of Associated Press, Mohamed Salam of Al Jazeera, photojournalist Morez Abu Taha and Ahmad Abu Aziz of QUDS feed.
A video shared by Alghad TV shows civil defense workers and journalists wearing bright orange vests and being hit by a bomb while trying to save Almasuri’s body. The Guardian reported that in the moment before their death, the journalists raised their hands with defensive gestures, but were still killed in the explosion.
In a statement, the Gaza media office condemned the attack, saying, “My journalist colleagues martyred when Israeli occupation bombed a group of journalists who were serving on press press duties at Khan Eunice’s Nasser Hospital and committed a horrifying crime. The statement also holds full responsibility for other countries participating in “genocide crimes,” including Israel, the United States and Britain, Germany and France.
The Associated Press expressed shock and sadness over Abu Dhaga’s death, highlighting its efforts to keep journalists safe while reporting under extremely dangerous conditions. Reuters described the news of Al Masri’s death as “devastating” and said it was urgently asking other injured colleagues for medical assistance. Al Jazeera denounced the attack as “a clear intention to fill the truth,” and reaffirmed his commitment to reporting on the conflict despite repeated targeting staff.
This latest incident occurred less than two weeks after Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif and four colleagues were murdered near Al Sifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Israeli forces ordered a preliminary investigation into the Monday murder of journalists. However, independent reports show that the majority of Israeli investigations into alleged war crimes are closed or unresolved. Investigations into the 2022 murder of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh remain unfinished.
International media access to Gaza has been severely restricted for 22 months, with Palestinian journalists operating under extreme conditions and facing threats of hunger, injury and death. More than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since Israel began war on the territory on October 7, 2023, according to the syndicate of Palestinian journalists.
Since the start of Israel’s war with Gaza, more than 62,700 people have been killed and more than 158,000 have been injured.