Israel has struck Nasser Hospital within the south of the Gaza Strip, killing at the very least 21 individuals, together with 5 journalists, in addition to medics and rescue staff, within the newest deliberate assault on civilians and the besieged enclave’s decimated well being system.
Monday’s assault, which killed journalists who labored for Al Jazeera, the Reuters and Related Press (AP) information companies, and others, was among the many deadliest of a mess of Israeli strikes which have focused each hospitals and media staff over the course of the practically two-year genocidal assault.
It comes as Israel widens its offensive to closely populated areas and concrete centres, together with Gaza Metropolis, growing the already heightened peril for the inhabitants.
The primary strike of the “double-tap” assault, the place one strike is adopted by a second quickly after, hit the highest flooring of a constructing at Nasser Hospital. Minutes later, as journalists and rescuers in orange vests rushed up an exterior staircase, a second projectile hit, mentioned Dr Ahmed al-Farra, the pinnacle of the paediatrics division.
Among the many journalists killed had been Al Jazeera’s Mohammad Salama, Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, Mariam Abu Daqqa, a contract journalist working for AP on the time, in addition to Ahmed Abu Aziz and Moaz Abu Taha.
Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, mentioned the assault has “despatched all the space into an absolute sense of chaos and panic”.
“Not just for passers-by or individuals dwelling within the neighborhood of the hospital, however for the sufferers themselves, who’re receiving therapy in one of many areas that should be protected beneath … worldwide humanitarian regulation,” Abu Azzoum mentioned.
The assault was met with widespread international condemnation, together with from press freedom teams and rights advocates, who expressed outrage over Israel’s repeated focused killings of Palestinian journalists in Gaza.
Al Jazeera condemned the assault as “a transparent intent to bury the reality”.
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations particular rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, additionally decried the assault.
“Rescuers killed in line of responsibility. Scenes like this unfold each second in Gaza, typically unseen, largely undocumented,” Albanese mentioned.
“I urge states: how way more should be witnessed earlier than you act to cease this carnage? Break the blockade. Impose an Arms Embargo. Impose Sanctions.”
Israel’s allies, resembling France Germany and the UK, have referred to as for an investigation.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate additionally condemned Israel for the strikes, saying it represented “an open warfare towards free media, with the intention of terrorising journalists and stopping them from fulfilling their skilled responsibility of exposing its crimes to the world”.
The assault raises the dying toll of Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023 to at the very least 273, based on an Al Jazeera tally.
The Committee to Defend Journalists referred to as for “the worldwide group to carry Israel accountable for its continued illegal assaults on the press”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned the strike was a “tragic mishap”, and that the navy was investigating it. Israel has typically issued related statements after incidents that drew worldwide outrage and requires UN investigations, however precise accountability for the perpetrators is exceptional.
Israeli forces additionally killed Palestinian correspondent Hassan Douhan, who labored for the Al-Hayat al-Jadida publication, in a separate incident in Khan Younis in a while Monday, bringing the dying toll of journalists killed that day to 6.
Two weeks in the past, Israel killed distinguished Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and 4 different journalists in a strike. In that assault, Israel acknowledged concentrating on Sharif and falsely alleged he labored for Hamas, with out offering any proof, after having overtly maligned and condemned him for months earlier than murdering him.
Nasser Hospital has withstood raids and bombardment throughout the warfare, with officers repeatedly noting crucial shortages of provides and workers amid a crippling support blockade. Different hospitals have additionally come beneath assault, together with al-Shifa Medical Complicated, the enclave’s predominant hospital, the place Israel has killed lots of.
Loss of life, desperation and famine stalk enclave
Israeli assaults throughout the famine-struck territory have killed at the very least 61 individuals since daybreak on Monday, together with seven individuals desperately searching for support.
Tanks have been advancing in Gaza Metropolis, the place Israeli forces have been intensifying assaults in a bid to pressure practically 1 million Palestinians there southwards into focus zones.
Gaza’s Civil Defence mentioned that Israel had destroyed 1,000 buildings in Gaza Metropolis since August 6, trapping lots of beneath the rubble, whereas ongoing shelling and blocked entry routes prevented many rescue and support operations.
The al-Awda Hospital mentioned Israeli gunfire additionally killed six support seekers making an attempt to achieve a distribution level in central Gaza and wounded one other 15.
Israeli forces have been routinely opening fireplace on hungry Palestinians as they try and safe meagre support parcels on the controversial Israeli and United States-backed GHF websites.
In accordance with Gaza’s Ministry of Well being, greater than 2,000 Palestinians have been killed and a few 13,500 wounded whereas searching for support at distribution factors or alongside convoy routes utilized by the UN and different support teams.
Al-Awda mentioned that two Israeli strikes in central Gaza killed six Palestinians, together with a baby, whereas al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis mentioned three Palestinians, together with a baby, had been killed in a strike there.
The relentless assaults proceed because the UN warns that malnutrition amongst kids in Gaza is deepening.
The UN’s humanitarian workplace (OCHA) renewed requires the unrestricted move of support into and inside Gaza.
“With famine situations now confirmed in Gaza governorate, starvation and malnutrition amongst kids are deepening,” OCHA mentioned.
“Companions engaged on diet word that in any meals disaster, kids with underlying well being situations are affected first – and with out correct diet, water and care, their situation worsens extra rapidly.”
Chris McIntosh, Oxfam’s humanitarian response adviser in Gaza, has described the scenario as unprecedented in scale and severity.
“It’s tough to not overuse superlatives on this context, however actually, this can be a singular humanitarian catastrophe and the worst disaster that I’ve ever been a part of… by far,” he mentioned.
Within the meantime, US President Donald Trump has predicted that the warfare on Gaza may see a “conclusive finish” inside two to a few weeks. Related claims have rapidly fallen by the wayside as Washington’s full navy and diplomatic backing of Israel’s genocidal warfare reveals no indicators of abating.
“It’s received to recover from with as a result of between the starvation and all the different issues – worse than starvation, dying, pure dying – individuals [are] being killed,” Trump mentioned.
