UN: Killing of Journalists in Gaza Hospital Strike “Should Shock the World”
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The killing of five journalists in Israeli strikes on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital has drawn sharp condemnation from the United Nations and press freedom groups, who are urging accountability for what they describe as unlawful attacks on civilians and the media.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Tuesday the deaths of the journalists, among at least 20 people killed in the twin airstrikes on Gaza’s largest hospital, should “shock the world into action.”
“These journalists are the eyes and ears of the whole world and they must be protected,” OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. “All of these incidents must absolutely be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Journalists Among the Dead
The journalists killed Monday were identified as Reuters contractor Hussam Al-Masri, Al Jazeera cameraman Mohammed Salama, freelance photojournalist Mariam Abu Dagga, Middle East Eye contributor Ahed Abu Aziz, and freelance video journalist Moaz Abu Taha.
Footage from Khan Younis showed rescuers rushing to help the wounded after the initial strike, only for a second strike to hit minutes later, killing additional journalists and aid workers.
“We know that one of the five journalists appears to have been killed in the first air strike while three others including the woman journalist appear to have been killed in the second air strike,” Al-Kheetan said. “This is a shock and this is unacceptable.”
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CPJ: “A War Crime”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented at least 197 journalists killed in Gaza since October 2023. CPJ President Jodie Ginsberg said Monday’s attack was part of a broader pattern of deliberate targeting.
“This is the deadliest conflict for journalists that CPJ has ever documented,” Ginsberg told ABC News Australia. “To target journalists knowingly and deliberately constitutes a war crime.”
She rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s description of the incident as a “tragic mishap.”
“A mishap is something that might happen when you spill a glass of water. It’s not how you describe the killing of 20 civilians in what is potentially a war crime,” Ginsberg said.
Israeli Strikes on Gaza Hospital Kill 20, Draw Condemnation From Medical Aid Groups
At least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, sparking outrage from humanitarian groups who say the attacks have gutted one of the last functioning medical facilities in the region.
Israel Responds
Israel Hayom reported that security sources claimed Hamas had placed a surveillance camera on the hospital roof to monitor Israeli forces, and that troops were authorized to disable it.
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the military “does not target journalists as such and works as much as possible to minimize harm.” He added that Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir had ordered an internal investigation.
OHCHR questioned the credibility of such probes. “Israeli authorities have carried out investigations in the past as the occupying power, but these investigations need to yield results. There needs to be justice. We haven’t seen accountability measures yet,” Al-Kheetan said.
Families in Mourning
Funeral processions in Khan Younis drew hundreds of mourners. Al-Masri’s colleagues carried his body draped in a press vest. Abu Dagga, who worked for the Associated Press and Independent Arabia, had reported extensively on civilian suffering before she was killed.
“She was our eyes and our voice in Gaza,” AP photographer Jehad Alshrafi said.
Hospitals Under Fire
The strikes on Nasser Hospital mark the latest in a series of attacks on medical facilities. The World Health Organization has condemned repeated strikes on Gaza hospitals, calling them violations of international humanitarian law.
“Hospitals are considered civilian infrastructure and should not be targeted,” Ginsberg said. “Yet journalists and civilians are being killed in places that should be safe.”
UN and UNESCO Reactions
Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, reiterated calls for adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 2222, which affirms the protection of journalists as civilians in conflict zones. UNESCO said it is providing emergency assistance to surviving journalists in Gaza, including psychosocial support and working equipment.
Mounting Civilian Toll
The Gaza Health Ministry said four health workers were also killed in the strikes, and patients were trapped inside the damaged hospital wings.
Beyond the hospital, the UN reported Tuesday that three more people had died of starvation in Gaza, bringing the hunger death toll to 303, including 117 children. More than 36,200 people have been displaced since August 14 under Israeli evacuation orders.
“People continue to flee in fear for their lives,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in New York.
Aid Blocked
Humanitarian agencies say restrictions on aid deliveries are worsening the crisis. Of 12 UN aid missions planned for Sunday, only six were approved by Israel.
Hospitals are running out of blood, with more than 350 units needed daily to treat the wounded. Donations have collapsed amid mass displacement and famine conditions.
Global Calls for Accountability
CPJ’s regional director Sara Qudah said the world must act to end what she called impunity for journalist killings. “Israel’s broadcasted killing of journalists in Gaza continues while the world watches,” Qudah said. “These murders must end now.”
Australian officials also condemned the killings. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said: “Journalists are civilians, and civilians must not be targeted in conflict.” Foreign Minister Penny Wong added: “The targeting of hospitals and journalists undermines the very principles that keep civilians safe during war.”
“Eyes and Ears of the World”
Both OHCHR and CPJ emphasized the critical role Palestinian reporters play as the only journalists able to document the conflict from inside Gaza.
“They are our eyes and our ears for what’s happening,” Ginsberg said. “It is no coincidence that we are seeing an increase in attacks as Israel deepens its incursion.”
Al-Kheetan echoed that message. “These journalists are the eyes and the ears of the whole world,” he said. “They must be protected.”
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