Israel strikes a hospital in Gaza for the second time, killing rescue workers and journalists, the British newspaper "Guardian" wrote in the headline, BTA reported.
Israel bombed the main hospital in southern Gaza yesterday, then launched another strike on the same site as rescue workers and journalists tried to help the wounded, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists, local health officials said.
The first strike hit the top floor of the "Nasr" hospital building, killing Reuters journalist Hussam al-Masri and other colleagues. Journalists and rescue workers rushed to the scene to help the wounded when a second bomb hit the same location 15 minutes later.
Al-Ghad TV captured the killings live, showing civil defense workers wearing high-visibility orange vests and journalists raising their arms to protect themselves seconds before the second bomb killed them. A second video showed the aftermath of the bombings - the bodies of first responders and journalists lying on top of each other, bloodied and covered in dust.
The double strike and the killing of journalists sparked a wave of international condemnation, including from British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the Guardian reports.
"I am appalled by the Israeli attack on the Nasr hospital. Civilians, health workers and journalists must be protected." "An immediate ceasefire is needed," Lamy wrote on the social media site "Ex".
US President Donald Trump told reporters: "I am not happy with this" when asked about the attack, while French President Emmanuel Macron described it as "unacceptable".
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel deeply regretted what he called a "tragic incident" at "Nasser" hospital.
Israel regularly strikes hospitals, claiming without evidence that "Hamas" is using them for military purposes. It also regularly kills journalists in Gaza, in some cases justifying them by saying that the journalists were affiliated with "Hamas" – claims that journalistic organizations describe as unfounded, the British publication points out.
Yesterday's strikes killed Reuters journalist Hussam al-Masri, Mariam Abu Dakka, who worked for the Associated Press, Al Jazeera journalist Mohamed Salam, photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha and Ahmed Abu Aziz of Quds Feed. Another Reuters journalist, Hatem Khaled, was injured in the attack.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 193 Palestinian journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023, more than the number killed worldwide in the previous three years, the Guardian notes.
The CPJ condemned the Israeli attack and called on the international community to take action.
"Israel continues to kill journalists in Gaza in front of the eyes of the entire world, which is not taking decisive action against the most horrific attacks on the media in modern history," said the organization's regional director, Sarah Kuda, adding: "These unlawful killings must stop immediately. The perpetrators must not be allowed to act with impunity. The Associated Press said it was shocked and devastated by the news of Dhakka's death, as well as the deaths of the other journalists killed with her. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our journalists in Gaza, who continue to provide important reporting from the ground in difficult and dangerous conditions," the agency said. Reuters said it was devastated by the news of al-Masri's death and Khaled's injuries. "We are urgently seeking more information and have appealed to the authorities in Gaza and Israel to help us provide emergency medical care for Hatem," a spokesman for the agency said. The Israeli military said on Monday it had ordered an investigation into the strike on the Khan Younis hospital that killed 20 people, writes the French newspaper "Figaro".
Following the announcement of the deaths of the five journalists, the Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Jerusalem demanded "explanations" from the Israeli authorities, the publication states.
"Civilians and journalists must be protected in all circumstances. The media must be able to carry out their mission freely and independently to reflect the reality of the conflict," said French President Macron after a telephone conversation with the Emir of Qatar.
"Exposing the population to starvation is a crime that must be stopped immediately," the French leader noted.
Germany said yesterday that it was "shocked by the deaths of journalists, rescue workers and civilians" in Israeli strikes on a hospital in Gaza, "Figaro" said.
"This attack must be investigated", the German Foreign Ministry said in "Ex", calling on Israel "to immediately allow access to independent foreign media and to ensure the protection of journalists in Gaza".
The UN strongly condemned the Israeli attack on a hospital in Gaza, notes "Figaro".
"Journalists are not targets. Hospitals are not targets", reacted Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, also condemned the "shocking" inaction of the international community in the face of what is happening in the Gaza Strip.
This strike amounts to "silencing the last voices that condemn the silent death of children, victims of hunger", Lazzarini wrote in "Ex" and added: "The indifference and inaction of the world are shocking".