Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip — Israel struck one of many important hospitals within the Gaza Strip with a missile Monday after which fired one other as journalists and rescue staff rushed to the scene, killing at the very least 20 individuals and wounding scores extra, native well being staff i in Hamas-run Gaza mentioned. At the very least 5 journalists had been amongst these killed, well being officers and their employers mentioned.
The victims had been killed in a double-tap strike on the hospital, with one missile hitting first, then one other moments later as rescue crews arrived, the well being ministry mentioned.
Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital, the biggest in southern Gaza, has withstood raids and bombardment all through 22 months of conflict, with officers citing crucial shortages of provides and employees.
Abdallah F.S. Alattar/Anadolu/Getty
Requested concerning the strike and journalists being among the many victims, the Israel Protection Forces issued a press release saying it had carried out an assault and including that it will “conduct an preliminary inquiry as quickly as attainable,” including that it regretted “any hurt to uninvolved people and doesn’t goal journalists as such.”
A hospital official informed CBS Information that 4 journalists had been killed within the Monday morning double-tap strike at Nasser Hospital. The official recognized the 4 as Hossam al-Masri, who labored for the Reuters information company, Mohammed Salama, who labored for Al Jazeera, and freelance journalists Maryam Abu Daqqa and Moaz Abu Taha.
The Related Press’ information director for the Center East, Jon Gambrell, mentioned in a social media publish that Abu Daqqa had “freelanced for the AP for the reason that Gaza conflict started.”
Reuters confirmed that al-Masri had labored for the worldwide information company. It mentioned photographer Hatem Khaled, who additionally labored as a contractor for the company, was wounded.
Center East Eye, a U.Ok.-based media outlet, mentioned certainly one of its freelancers, Ahmad Abu Aziz, was additionally killed.
At the very least one different journalist was wounded within the strike, a hospital official mentioned, figuring out the person as Haithem Omar, who additionally works for Reuters.
President Trump informed reporters on Monday that he was not conscious of the strike on the hospital and he was not completely happy about it when he realized the information.
“When did this occur?” Mr. Trump requested a reporter within the White Home. “I did not know that. Properly, I am not completely happy about it. I do not wish to see it. On the identical time, we have now to finish that complete nightmare.”
Israel has come beneath mounting strain over the variety of journalists being killed in its navy operations in Gaza — together with in focused strikes in opposition to people whom Israeli officers declare had been Hamas operatives.
Israeli strikes and raids on hospitals should not unusual. A number of hospitals have been struck or raided throughout the Gaza Strip, with Israel claiming its assaults had focused militants working contained in the medical amenities, with out offering proof.
In a assertion issued Monday, the Overseas Press Affiliation, which represents journalists working in Israel and the Palestinian territories, mentioned it was “outraged and in shock” over the most recent killings of media staff.
“That is among the many deadliest Israeli assaults on journalists working for worldwide media for the reason that Gaza conflict started,” the group mentioned, confirming the identities of the 4 individuals killed. “These strikes hit the outside staircase of the hospital the place journalists continuously stationed themselves with their cameras. The strikes got here with no warning.”
The group demanded a right away clarification from the IDF and from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace for the strike, including: “This has gone on far too lengthy. Too many journalists in Gaza have been killed by Israel with out justification. Israel continues to dam worldwide journalists from unbiased entry to Gaza. This have to be a watershed second. We attraction to worldwide leaders: do every part you possibly can to guard our colleagues. We can’t do it ourselves.”
The worldwide Committee to Defend Journalists additionally condemned the Israeli strike. In a assertion, the group referred to as on the worldwide group “to carry Israel accountable for its continued illegal assaults on the press.”
“Israel’s broadcasted killing of journalists in #Gaza continues whereas the world watches and fails to behave firmly on essentially the most horrific assaults the press has ever confronted in latest historical past,” CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah mentioned within the group’s publish. “These murders should finish now. The perpetrators should now not be allowed to behave with impunity.”
On August 11, Israel’s navy focused and killed 5 Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, together with correspondent Anas al-Sharif. The Israel Protection Forces mentioned it had intelligence and paperwork from Gaza to show al-Sharif was the pinnacle of a Hamas terrorist cell, and the IDF shared undated pictures of Al-Sharif with Yahya Sinwar, the highest Hamas chief in Gaza, who was killed final October.
CBS Information couldn’t confirm the authenticity of the pictures. Al Jazeera and al-Sharif had beforehand dismissed Israel’s claims as baseless, The Related Press reported. Simply three weeks in the past, al-Sharif had appealed to the Committee to Defend Journalists over fears he may be assassinated.
AFP/AFPTV/AFP through Getty Photos 
A June strike on Nasser Hospital killed three individuals and wounded 10, in response to the well being ministry. On the time, Israel’s navy mentioned it had focused Hamas militants working from a command and management heart contained in the hospital.
The Hamas-run well being ministry mentioned Sunday that at the very least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its conflict in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist assault that killed some 1,200 Israelis and noticed 251 others taken as hostages.
The ministry doesn’t distinguish in its figures between fighters and civilians, but it surely says round half of these killed have been ladies and kids. The U.N. and unbiased consultants think about it essentially the most dependable info out there on conflict casualties, as such figures are troublesome to independently confirm, as Israel doesn’t allow overseas journalists into Gaza.
Israel disputes its figures however has not supplied its personal.
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