Multiple journalists of different outlets, and several others have died in Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. The deceased journalists also include some freelancers, reported AP. The hospital said at least 14 people died in the attack on Monday, while many others were left injured.
A CNN report identified some of the killed journalists as Mohammad Salama, a cameraman from Al Jazeera, Hussam Al-Masri who was a contractor for Reuters, and Mariam Abu Dagga, who has worked with the Associated Press and Moath Abu Taha, a freelance journalist.
Gaza’s Civil Defense organisation said one of its crew members also died in the attack, CNN reported.
Where did the attack take place?
The first strike from Israel hit the fourth floor of the Nasser Medical Complex on Monday morning, the Palestinian health ministry said, CNN reported. The second hit ambulance crews and emergency responders a short time later, the report further said.
The report cited videos from the scene and stated that a hospital spokesman and head of nursing was seen holding up a blood-soaked cloth after the first strike. At that time, the second explosion took place, filling the air with smoke and sending people running for cover.
This comes nearly after two weeks when Israel strike in the Gaza city killed four Al-Jazeera journalists.
Israel’s second such attack in 2 weeks
Monday’s attack is the second such incident in two weeks, after Israel targeted and killed Al-Jazeera journalists in Gaza city. The deceased included 28-year-old correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who Israel called “the head of a Hamas terrorist cell”. Sharif had been reporting on the war since the beginning.
The other journalists were identified as correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameraman Ibrahim Zaher, and crew driver and cameraman Mohammed Noufal, Al Jazeera said, reported BBC.
The strikes hit a tent used by journalists, attracting strong international condemnation including from the UN, Qatar, and media freedom groups.
Al-Jazeera and several media freedom groups have denied Israel’s claims that Sharif worked for Hamas. Also, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said nothing about the other journalists it killed.
Sharif is said to have previously worked for a Hamas media team, BBC stated.