On Monday, Israel carried out drone attacks on the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza At least 20 people were killed and about 50 injured in the attack, according to Reuters.
Five of the dead were photographers Hussam al-Masri and Mohammed Salah and reporters Mariam Abu Dagga, Ahmad Abu Aziz and Moaz Abu Taha. They worked for the news agencies Reuters, the Associated Press and the television channel al-Jazeera, among others.
Several television crews and other journalists had gathered on the hospital roof to report from the war when the drones attacked.
Israel confirms attack – “Deeply regrets”
The Israeli military, IDF, confirms the attack on Khan Yunis, reports Haaretz. It is unclear what the target of the attack was.
"We are aware of reports that civilians, including journalists, have been injured. I want to be clear that the IDF does not intentionally target civilians," military spokeswoman Effie Defrin said in a statement.
He also says that Hamas “deliberately uses civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as shields.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu"regrets" what happened on Monday evening.
“Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Israel values the work carried out by journalists, medical personnel and all civilian a”, writes Netanyahu on X and continues:
“Military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. Our war is against Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are to defeat Hamas and bring our hostages home.”
“It is unacceptable that journalists are injured and killed”
Sweden's Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard is harshly criticizing the attack.
"This is terrible news. It is unacceptable that journalists are injured and killed in the line of duty", she writes to TT and adds:
"The government has long demanded that international media be given access to Gaza, that journalists be able to work safely and securely in conflict-affected areas in order to be able to report accurately based on what is happening on the ground"
The Reuters news agency also issued a statement on Monday about the attack that led to the killing of two of their journalists.
" We are devastated that cameraman Hussam al Masri, a Reuters contractor, was killed this morning in Israeli attacks on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza.
Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist whose work was published by Reuters, was also killed, and photographer Hatem Khaled, a Reuters contractor, was injured.
We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Hussam and Moaz's families and loved ones and will support them as best we can.".
The AP news agency expresses condemnations, stating that they are “ shocked and sad"over hearing about the deaths of Mariam Abu Dagga and other journalists. According to the AP, Abu Dagga regularly reported from the hospital, about malnourished and starving children.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council, also reacted strongly to the incident.
"The killing of journalists in Gaza should shock the world, not lead to a stunned silence without action and demands for consequences and justice," she says, according to TT.
SR journalist injured
Among the injured journalists is Swedish Radio employee Baraa Lafi. She is reported to have suffered minor injuries to her legs.
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering Gaza. Reporting from the area has therefore come from Palestinian journalists, many of whom have worked for international media outlets such as Reuters and the AP.
According to the Palestinian Journalists' Union, more than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war started on October 7, 2023.
