Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described an Israeli airstrike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people, including five journalists, as a “tragic mishap”, reports Breaking News.
He stated that Israel “values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians”, adding that the military is carrying out an investigation into the incident.
The strike targeted one of the Gaza Strip’s main hospitals, and a second attack followed shortly afterward, hitting as journalists and emergency personnel arrived at the scene. According to local health officials, the attacks killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more, reports Breaking News.
This was one of the deadliest of multiple Israeli strikes that have impacted both journalists and hospitals during the 22-month conflict triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault. The attack occurred as Israel signals plans to expand its operations into densely populated regions.
The initial strike hit the top floor of a building at Nasser Hospital, located in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reports Breaking News.
Moments later, a second blast occurred as journalists and rescuers wearing orange vests ascended an external staircase, said Dr Ahmed al-Farra, head of the hospital’s paediatrics department.
Among those who died was Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old visual journalist who had worked with The Associated Press. Ms Dagga frequently covered stories from the hospital, including a recent report for AP about doctors struggling to keep children from starving.
Four more journalists were killed in the incident. They had worked with Al Jazeera, Reuters, and UK-based Middle East Eye, mostly as freelancers or on a contract basis, reports Breaking News.
Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the army does not intentionally target civilians and confirmed an internal probe into the hospital strikes has begun.
He blamed Hamas for operating within civilian areas but did not confirm whether Israel believed any militants were present at the hospital during the attack, reports Breaking News.
Netanyahu’s statement said that Israel “deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza”.
According to Israeli news outlets, troops fired two artillery rounds at the hospital, believing there was a Hamas surveillance camera positioned on the roof.
The strike drew international condemnation from the UN secretary-general, the UK, France, and others. Asked about the incident, U.S. President Donald Trump initially said he hadn’t heard about it but later added: “I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it,” reports Breaking News.
Throughout the conflict, Israel has repeatedly hit hospitals, maintaining that Hamas places its infrastructure inside and around medical facilities. However, Israeli authorities seldom provide supporting evidence.
Hamas security forces have been seen inside some hospitals during the war, and parts of those locations have been restricted from media and public access, reports Breaking News.
Hospitals that are still operating are overwhelmed with the dead and wounded, and now also with a growing number of severely malnourished patients, as sections of Gaza have slipped into famine conditions, reports Breaking News.
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