Five Journalists Among 20 Killed in Israeli Strike on Gaza Hospital, Health Officials Report

Death toll brings number of Palestinian journalists killed since October 7, 2023, to at least 193

Mariam Abu Dagga pictured in Khan Younis in June. Photograph: Jehad Alshrafi/AP

At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed on Monday following Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, according to health officials.

Among the victims were Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, Associated Press reporter Mariam Abu Dagga, Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Salam, photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha, and Quds Feed’s Ahmad Abu Aziz. Another Reuters journalist, Hatem Khaled, sustained injuries in the same attack.

Footage aired by Alghad TV captured civil defense personnel and journalists attempting to recover Masri’s body after he was killed in an initial strike on the hospital’s fourth floor. The video shows rescuers raising their arms to shield themselves moments before another explosion struck the same location, killing those present.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, the second missile hit the precise spot where emergency workers and reporters had gathered, compounding the tragedy. Subsequent footage depicted numerous bodies strewn across the site where the rescuers and media workers had been standing.

The Associated Press expressed devastation over Dagga’s death, as well as the loss of the other journalists, stating:

“We are doing everything we can to keep our journalists in Gaza safe as they continue providing crucial eyewitness reporting under extremely dangerous conditions.”

Reuters also issued a statement expressing grief over Masri’s death and confirmed Khaled’s injury:

“We are urgently seeking more information and have appealed to authorities in both Gaza and Israel to ensure Hatem receives immediate medical assistance,” a spokesperson said.

The damaged fourth floor of Nasser hospital after the Israeli strike. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that at least 193 Palestinian journalists have been killed since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023—a figure that exceeds the total number of journalists killed worldwide over the past three years combined. The CPJ has previously condemned what it described in August as Israel’s “deliberate and systematic attempt” to suppress coverage of its actions in Gaza.

The Israeli military stated that its chief of staff had ordered a preliminary inquiry into Monday’s strike, saying Israel “regrets harm to uninvolved individuals” and does not intentionally target journalists.

However, critics argue that Israeli investigations rarely result in accountability. A recent report revealed that 88% of probes into alleged war crimes in Gaza have been closed or abandoned. Investigations into previous incidents, including the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh by an Israeli sniper, have also gone unresolved.

An undated picture of the Reuters contractor Hussam al-Masri at Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

Dagga, 33, had been freelancing for the AP since the onset of the war, contributing to other outlets such as Independent Arabia. She frequently covered Nasser Hospital’s pediatric wing, documenting children succumbing to starvation despite no prior health conditions.

Independent Arabia paid tribute to Dagga, describing her as a “model of dedication and professionalism” who “bravely carried her camera into the heart of danger, faithfully conveying the suffering of civilians with honesty and courage.”

Ahmad Abu Aziz was based at Nasser Hospital, reporting on the consequences of Israeli bombings across Gaza. He had lost his home in a previous airstrike and witnessed the deaths of numerous colleagues. In an article for Middle East Eye a year ago, he wrote about feeling like “the last journalist standing” as so many peers were killed.

Al Jazeera confirmed that Salam was among those killed in Monday’s hospital strike. Reuters identified Masri as a freelance cameraman, while confirming that Khaled, also a freelance photographer, had been injured.

Israel continues to restrict foreign journalists from entering Gaza—a media blackout unprecedented in modern war reporting. Palestinian reporters working for international outlets are forced to operate under constant threat of death and severe deprivation.

The health ministry in Gaza said the attack on Nasser Hospital disrupted surgeries underway in the operating theater. Officials condemned the strike as part of a “systematic campaign to dismantle Gaza’s health system.” The hospital remains the only fully functioning public medical facility in southern Gaza.

People search for survivors after an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Gaza City. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Elsewhere in the enclave, reports surfaced of Israeli gunfire killing civilians seeking humanitarian aid, as well as additional airstrikes in Gaza City.

At least six people were killed and 15 others injured while attempting to collect food at a distribution center in central Gaza operated by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Such shootings near GHF aid sites have become near-daily incidents, though both GHF and the Israeli military deny intentionally targeting civilians.

In Gaza City, an Israeli strike on a residential district killed at least three people, including a child. Israel has announced plans for a ground invasion of the city, vowing to occupy and take control of the area.

Humanitarian organizations have warned that the impending operation will trigger another wave of mass displacement and exacerbate the already catastrophic famine conditions gripping Gaza.

Since Israel launched its offensive nearly two years ago, at least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities. The assault began in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led militants, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and 250 others taken hostage.