- Targeted Attack on Media: Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed at least five journalists and over a dozen civilians on Monday. Another journalist was killed in a separate strike the same day, raising the toll to six media professionals.
- Double-Tap Strike: Witnesses reported a “double-tap” bombing—one missile hit the hospital’s fourth floor, followed by another strike moments later as rescue workers and journalists rushed to the scene. This deliberate tactic has been widely condemned as a war crime.
Journalists Killed in the August 25 Attack
- Hussam al-Masri – Cameraman, Reuters contractor
- Mariam Abu Dagga – Visual journalist, Associated Press
- Mohammed Salama – Cameraman, Al Jazeera
- Moaz Abu Taha – Freelance journalist
- Ahmed Abu Aziz – Freelance journalist
- Hassan Douhan – Killed in a separate strike in Khan Younis the same day
Condemnation from International Bodies
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the attack, calling it part of a systematic campaign to silence reporting from Gaza.
- Press freedom groups stressed that targeting journalists is a war crime under international law and urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate.
War on the Press: Facts and Figures
- Deadliest Conflict for Journalists in History
- International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): At least 219 journalists killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): At least 197 killed, of whom 189 were Palestinians killed by Israel.
- United Nations: As of August 11, 2025, up to 242 Palestinian journalists killed.
- Evidence of Deliberate Targeting
- IFJ and RSF have both submitted evidence to the ICC, asserting Israel intentionally targeted journalists.
- In several cases, Israel admitted responsibility, alleging—without proof—that journalists were affiliated with Hamas. Press freedom groups reject these claims as a smear tactic to justify killings.
- Information Blackout
- Israel has barred most foreign reporters from Gaza, leaving local Palestinian journalists as the primary witnesses.
- This has made Palestinian reporters especially vulnerable, even as global media outlets depend on their coverage.
The number of people killed in the Israeli strikes on Gaza’s Nasser hospital rose to at least 20, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others https://t.co/pOp0Qv4WAb pic.twitter.com/HBiCnt1KKH
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 25, 2025
Broader Context
- The strike on Nasser Hospital—one of the last functioning medical facilities in Gaza—further highlights Israel’s assault on both healthcare and press freedom.
- Human rights experts note that the deliberate killing of journalists alongside the destruction of hospitals and civilian infrastructure constitutes “a campaign of collective punishment” against Palestinians.
- Despite global condemnation, Israel continues to carry out such attacks with impunity, shielded by Western political and military backing.
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