Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri among 20 killed as IDF targets Nasser Hospital upper floor in Khan Younis
Israeli forces struck Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza twice on Monday morning, killing at least 20 people including five journalists working for international news agencies, in what press freedom groups condemned as a deliberate assault on media workers covering the conflict.
The attack began with an initial missile strike on the fourth floor of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, followed minutes later by a second strike that killed rescue workers and journalists who had rushed to the scene, according to Palestinian health officials and witnesses.
Among the dead was Hussam al-Masri, a cameraman working as a contractor for Reuters, who had been operating a live broadcasting position on an upper floor just below the hospital roof. The news agency confirmed his death in a statement expressing devastation at the loss.
We are devastated to learn of the death of Reuters contractor, Hussam al-Masri, and injuries to another of our contractors, Hatem Khaled, in strikes on the Nasser hospital in Gaza today,” Reuters said. “We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Hussam’s family and loved ones.”
The other journalists killed were identified as Mohammed Salama from Al Jazeera, Mariam Abu Daqqa, a 33-year-old freelance visual journalist who had worked for the Associated Press, Moaz Abu Taha, a freelancer who contributed to several outlets, and Ahmed Abu Aziz.
Dr Ahmed al-Farra, head of Nasser’s paediatrics department, described how the second missile struck the same spot as journalists and rescuers in orange vests rushed up an external staircase. Video footage from the scene shows emergency workers on the damaged stairs when the second explosion rocks the building, filling the air with smoke and sending people fleeing.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed three hours after the attack that troops had “carried out a strike in the area” of the hospital. The military said it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such,” adding that the chief of staff had ordered an immediate inquiry.
An Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later provided remarkable details suggesting the strikes were intentional. The official said IDF forces had identified a camera on the hospital roof they claimed was being used by Hamas to monitor Israeli military positions. Forces received authorisation to strike the camera with a drone but instead fired two tank shells – the first at the camera and the second at rescue forces.
The Foreign Press Association condemned what it called Israel’s “targeted killing” of Palestinian journalists, stating: “These colleagues were carrying out their duty as journalists and reporting on events as they occurred.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 179 journalists and media workers have been killed since October 7. This must stop,” the association said in a statement demanding Israel cease attacks on journalists and allow media to report freely from Gaza.
The attack represents a significant escalation in what press freedom organisations describe as the deadliest conflict for journalists in modern history. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 192 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, with 184 of them Palestinian.
“Israel’s war on Gaza is more deadly to journalists than any previous war,” CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg said earlier this month.
The killings come just two weeks after Israel targeted and killed prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif and five other journalists in a strike on a media tent outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on 10 August. Israel claimed al-Sharif was a Hamas operative, allegations rejected by Al Jazeera and press freedom groups.
Mariam Abu Daqqa, known professionally as Maryam Abu Daqa, had gained recognition for her work documenting the war’s impact on children and civilian life. The Associated Press said she had recently reported on doctors at Nasser Hospital struggling to save children dying from starvation.
AP is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of visual journalist Mariam Dagga, who had been freelancing for the AP since the Gaza war began,” the news agency said.
Al Jazeera condemned the killings as a “horrific crime,” stating that Israeli forces had “directly targeted and assassinated journalists.” The network noted the attacks violated international law, which prohibits deliberate targeting of civilians and journalists in conflict zones.
Monday’s attack marked at least the third strike on Nasser Hospital in recent months. The facility, southern Gaza’s largest medical centre, has withstood raids and bombardment throughout 22 months of war whilst facing critical shortages of supplies and staff.
Dr Mohammad Saqer, a hospital spokesman who witnessed the attacks, was seen in video footage holding up a blood-soaked cloth after the first strike when the second explosion sent people running for cover.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate called the attack a “heinous massacre perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces which directly targeted media and journalistic crews.
International organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about journalist safety in Gaza. Israel has barred international media from entering the territory except on rare guided tours, making Palestinian journalists crucial for documenting the conflict.
Brown University’s Costs of War project found that more journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 than in major conflicts including the US Civil War, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan combined.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killings and called for “an independent and impartial investigation,” whilst Amnesty International demanded justice and full reparation for the journalists’ families.
As of Monday evening, the Gaza Health Ministry reported the death toll from the hospital strike had risen to 20, with many more injured. The attack occurred as Israeli forces continued operations across Gaza, with additional strikes reported in Gaza City killing three Palestinians including a child.
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