Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the fourth floor of southern Gaza's main hospital Monday, killing at least eight people including several journalists, hospital officials told CBS News. An Official with the civil defense rescue agency in Hamas-run Gaza said later that at least 15 people were killed in the strike in total.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told journalists at the scene that "the death toll is 15, including four journalists and one civil defense member," according to the French news agency AFP.
The victims were killed in a double-tap strike on the hospital, with one missile hitting first, then another moments later as rescue crews arrived, the health ministry said.
Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital, the largest in southern Gaza, has withstood raids and bombardment throughout 22 months of war, with officials citing critical shortages of supplies and staff.
Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions about the strike or the reports that journalists were among the victims. Israel has come under mounting pressure over the number of journalists being killed in its military operations in Gaza — including in targeted strikes against individuals whom Israeli officials claim were Hamas operatives.
A hospital official told CBS News that four journalists were killed in the Monday morning double-tap strike at Nasser Hospital. The official identified the four as Hossam al-Masri, who worked for the Reuters news agency, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Al Jazeera, and freelance journalists Maryam Abu Daqqa and Moaz Abu Taha.
The Associated Press' news director for the Middle East, Jon Gambrell, said in a social media post that Abu Daqqa had "freelanced for the AP since the Gaza war began."
Reuters confirmed that al-Masri had worked for the international news agency. It said photographer Hatem Khaled, who also worked as a contractor for the agency, was wounded.
At least one other journalist was wounded in the strike, a hospital official said, identifying the man as Haithem Omar, who also works for Reuters.
Israeli strikes and raids on hospitals are not uncommon. Multiple hospitals have been struck or raided across the Gaza Strip, with Israel claiming its attacks had targeted militants operating inside the medical facilities, without providing evidence.
On August 11, Israel's military targeted and killed five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, including correspondent Anas al-Sharif. The Israel Defense Forces said it had intelligence and documents from Gaza to prove al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell, and the IDF shared undated photos of Al-Sharif with Yahya Sinwar, the top Hamas leader in Gaza, who was killed last October.
CBS News could not verify the authenticity of the photos. Al Jazeera and al-Sharif had previously dismissed Israel's claims as baseless, The Associated Press reported. Just three weeks ago, al-Sharif had appealed to the Committee to Protect Journalists over fears he might be assassinated.
A June strike on Nasser Hospital killed three people and wounded 10, according to the health ministry. At the time, Israel's military said it had targeted Hamas militants operating from a command and control center inside the hospital.
The Hamas-run health ministry said Sunday that at least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack that killed some 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 others taken as hostages.
The ministry does not distinguish in its figures between fighters and civilians, but it says around half of those killed have been women and children. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable information available on war casualties, as such figures are difficult to independently verify as Israel does not permit foreign journalists into Gaza.
Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.
Rainbow crosswalks in Florida painted over
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore calls Trump D.C. National Guard deployment "unconstitutional"
Comments