Deadly Strikes on Gaza Hospital Kill 20, Prompt UN Calls for Investigation and Ceasefire
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Two Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed at least 20 people, including health workers and journalists, the World Health Organization said Monday, prompting urgent calls from United Nations leaders for an investigation and an immediate ceasefire.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said four medical workers and five reporters were among the dead in the strikes on the Khan Younis facility. Fifty others were injured, including critically ill patients already under care, he said.
“While people in Gaza are being starved, their already limited access to healthcare is being further crippled by repeated attacks,” Tedros said. “We cannot say it loudly enough: STOP attacks on healthcare. Ceasefire now.”
The hospital’s main building, housing the emergency department, inpatient ward and surgical unit, was hit, with the emergency staircase also damaged, according to the WHO.
UN Demands Accountability
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the strikes and called for a prompt, impartial investigation.
“These latest horrific killings highlight the extreme risks that medical personnel and journalists face as they carry out their vital work amid this brutal conflict,” UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said.
Guterres reiterated his appeal for a permanent ceasefire, safe humanitarian access across Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.
Among those killed was Mariam Abu Dagga, a photojournalist who had partnered with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) last year on a project documenting Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, OCHA confirmed.
The strikes drew sharp criticism from the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
“Silencing the last remaining voices reporting about children dying silently and famine with the world’s indifference and inaction is shocking,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said. “Let us undo this manmade famine by opening the gates without restrictions, protecting journalists and humanitarian and health workers.”
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Israel Responds
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government “deeply regrets the tragic mishap” at Nasser Hospital. No further details were provided.
The Gaza Health Ministry said more than 61,000 people have been killed since the war began in October 2023 after Hamas-led attacks on Israel that left 1,200 dead and 250 taken hostage. Some hostages remain in captivity.
Famine Confirmed
Food security experts confirmed last week that famine has taken root in Gaza Governorate and is spreading. The Gaza Health Ministry said 11 people died of starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 300 deaths from malnutrition.
“More than half a million people are already trapped in famine conditions,” a UN-backed report released Friday said.
Mass Displacement
Humanitarian officials reported that between Aug. 20 and 24, about 5,000 people fled northern Gaza to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, with another 8,000 displaced west of Gaza City.
Since the collapse of a ceasefire in mid-March, more than 800,000 people have been newly displaced, according to OCHA.
Aid Blocked
Relief efforts continue to face significant restrictions. On Sunday, only seven of 15 planned humanitarian missions requiring Israeli coordination were completed. Four were denied or canceled outright, while others were obstructed on the ground.
“The remaining ones were initially approved but then impeded, including the collection of food and vaccines from the crossings,” OCHA said.
Fuel collection from Kerem Shalom border crossing was among the few operations allowed.
Children Out of School
The strikes come as education remains stalled across the enclave. Several schools used as shelters for displaced families were attacked last week, aid partners reported.
“With final exams for more than 35,000 high school students set to begin in two weeks, the UN and partners reiterate their call for the protection of education facilities in accordance with international law,” OCHA said.
Journalists at Risk
More than 240 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began, the UN said.
“This conflict has erased an entire generation of reporters covering Gaza,” Lazzarini said. “Protecting their voices is essential to protecting truth.”
Global Pressure
Tedros, Guterres and other UN officials said the latest hospital attack underscores the urgent need for political will to halt the war.
“The lives of patients, health workers and journalists cannot be collateral damage,” Tedros said. “The world cannot look away.”
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