Matilda Omonaiye/
At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed today after Israeli warplanes struck the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, in two successive air raids.
Among the victims were journalists Mohammad Salama (Al Jazeera), Hossam Al-Masri (Reuters), Maryam Abu Daqqa (Associated Press), Muath Abu Taha (NBC), and a fifth reporter with Independent Arabia. Fifteen other civilians also lost their lives in the bombardment that hit a media tent set up near the hospital.
Witnesses said the strike employed a “double-tap” tactic: the first bomb hit the hospital, and the second targeted journalists and rescuers rushing to the scene. The method, long criticized by human rights groups, is widely regarded as a violation of international humanitarian law.
Human rights group Amnesty International swiftly condemned the attack, describing it as a “deliberate killing of journalists” and a grave violation of international law.
“Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues have been the eyes and voices of Gaza. Starved and exhausted, they continued to bravely report from the frontlines, despite death threats and immense grief,” Amnesty stated.
The group added that no modern conflict has recorded a higher number of journalists killed than Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, which it described as an act of genocide. Amnesty called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killings and demanded justice and reparations for the victims’ families.
The latest strike adds to the escalating toll of media workers in Gaza, where journalists have continued to report amid constant bombardment, displacement, and food shortages.
Amnesty urged the international community to act decisively to halt Israel’s offensive.
“States must urgently act to bring an end to Israel’s genocide now,” the organization stated.
The bombing of the hospital complex has drawn sharp condemnation from press freedom advocates and renewed global debate about the protection of journalists and civilians in conflict zones.
Today’s killings bring the death toll of journalists in Gaza since October 2023 to 192, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers in modern history. Media watchdogs say the unprecedented loss underscores efforts to silence reporting on the humanitarian catastrophe.
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