Israeli Strikes on Gaza Hospital Kill 5 Journalists, 20 Total Dead: Reports
By Staff Reporter, August 26, 2025
Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on August 25, 2025, killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, in what health officials and press freedom groups are calling a deliberate “double-tap” attack. The strikes, which targeted the hospitalโs fourth floor and an external staircase, have drawn international condemnation and raised concerns about the safety of journalists and medical workers in Gaza. Below is a detailed account of the incident, its implications, and the broader context, based on reports from multiple sources.
Details of the Attack
According to the Gaza Health Ministry and hospital officials, the first Israeli strike hit the fourth floor of Nasser Hospital, the largest medical facility in southern Gaza, around 10:10 a.m. on August 25, 2025, killing at least two people, including Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri. As journalists, rescuers, and medical workers rushed to the scene, a second missile struck the same location approximately 15 minutes later, targeting an external staircase frequently used by reporters for elevated views of Khan Younis. This follow-up strike killed 17 others, including four additional journalists: Al Jazeeraโs Mohammad Salama, Associated Press freelancer Mariam Dagga, Middle East Eye contributor Ahmed Abu Aziz, and freelance photographer Moaz Abu Taha. In total, 20 people died, with dozens more wounded, including Reuters photographer Hatem Khaled.
A live video feed from AlGhad TV captured the moment of the second strike, showing civil defense workers in orange vests and journalists raising their hands before the explosion. Dr. Mohammad Saqer, head of nursing at Nasser Hospital, reported that four health workers were also among the dead. The Gaza Civil Defence confirmed one of its members was killed.
Victims and Impact on Journalism
The journalists killed were prominent figures in Gazaโs media landscape, relied upon by international outlets due to Israelโs ban on foreign journalists entering the territory independently. Mariam Dagga, 33, a freelance visual journalist, had reported for the Associated Press and Independent Arabia, recently covering doctorsโ struggles to save malnourished children at Nasser Hospital. Hussam al-Masri was operating a Reuters live feed when the first strike cut it off, and Moaz Abu Taha had occasionally contributed to Reuters and other outlets. Mohammad Salama and Ahmed Abu Aziz were also key voices documenting Gazaโs humanitarian crisis.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) described the Gaza conflict as the โdeadliest for journalists ever documented,โ with at least 192 journalists killed since October 2023, overwhelmingly Palestinian. The August 25 attack follows another deadly strike on August 10, where five Al Jazeera journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, were killed near al-Shifa Hospital. The CPJโs Sara Qudah condemned the killings, stating, โIsraelโs broadcasted killing of journalists in Gaza continues while the world watches and fails to act firmly.โ
International Condemnation and Israeli Response
The strikes prompted swift global outrage. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the attack โhorrifying,โ demanding an immediate ceasefire and protection for civilians, healthcare workers, and journalists. French President Emmanuel Macron labeled it โintolerable,โ while U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked, said, โIโm not happy about it.โ UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the killings, noting the โextreme risksโ faced by journalists and medical workers. The Foreign Press Association called the strikes โamong the deadliestโ for international media, urging a UN Security Council investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a โtragic mishapโ and promised a โthorough investigation.โ The Israeli military claimed it targeted a โHamas command and control centerโ in the hospital, asserting it โdoes not target journalists as such.โ However, no evidence was provided to support claims of Hamas activity, and critics, including Al Jazeera and Doctors Without Borders, accused Israel of systematically targeting journalists and medical facilities. The IDFโs history of incomplete investigations, such as the unresolved 2022 killing of Al Jazeeraโs Shireen Abu Akleh, has fueled skepticism about accountability.
Context and Broader Implications
The Nasser Hospital attack is part of a pattern of Israeli strikes on Gazaโs medical and media infrastructure. The Hamas-run Health Ministry reported 58 deaths across Gaza on August 25, including 28 at food distribution sites and 11 from malnutrition, with famine conditions worsening in Gaza City. The war, sparked by Hamasโs October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages, has led to over 61,430 Palestinian deaths, per the ministry. Israelโs frequent targeting of hospitals, justified by unverified claims of Hamas presence, has drawn accusations of war crimes from human rights groups.
Journalists in Gaza face unprecedented risks, with 242 killed since October 2023, according to the UN, and 273 per Al Jazeeraโs tally. Israelโs ban on international media has made local reporters critical to global coverage, yet they face displacement, starvation, and targeted attacks. The โdouble-tapโ tacticโstriking a site twice to hit respondersโhas been particularly deadly, with the CPJ noting it as a hallmark of Israelโs operations.
Looking Ahead
The Nasser Hospital attack has intensified calls for accountability and protection for journalists. Press freedom groups like Reporters Without Borders and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate are pushing for international action, including sanctions and UN investigations. Meanwhile, Nasser Hospital, already strained by 22 months of war and critical shortages, faces further challenges as Israel orders evacuations of northern Gaza clinics, increasing patient loads.
As legal and diplomatic efforts unfold, the loss of these journalistsโdescribed by Al Jazeera as โvoices exposing the truthโโunderscores the human toll of the conflict and the urgent need for protections. For now, the international community faces mounting pressure to address what many call a deliberate assault on press freedom.
For updates, follow reports from www.bbc.com, www.aljazeera.com, or www.theguardian.com.
If youโd like a deeper analysis of the legal implications, specific journalist profiles, or reactions on X for real-time sentiment, let me know! I can also create a chart summarizing journalist deaths in Gaza since October 2023, if desiredโjust confirm.
