Death of journalists in latest Mideast attack condemned
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says an Israeli strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip that killed 20 people, including five journalists, was a “tragic mishap”.
Benjamin Netanyahu
He said in a statement on Monday that Israel “values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians,” and that the military is investigating.
Israel struck Nasser hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera and others.
Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza.
Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.
Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just…
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) August 25, 2025
The United Nations secretary-general, along with the United Kingdom, France and others, condemned the attack.
Cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, was killed near a live broadcasting position operated by Reuters on an upper floor just below the roof of the hospital in Khan Younis in an initial strike, according to Palestinian health officials.
Officials at the hospital and witnesses said Israel then struck the site a second time, killing other journalists, as well as rescue workers and medics, who had rushed to the scene to help.
The journalists killed included Mariam Abu Dagga, who freelanced for the Associated Press and other outlets, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist who worked with several news organisations, including occasionally contributing to Reuters, and Ahmed Abu Aziz.
Photographer Hatem Khaled, also a Reuters contractor, was wounded.
Israel’s military, the Israel Defence Forces, acknowledged striking the area of Nasser hospital.
The IDF “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such. The IDF acts to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible while maintaining the safety of IDF troops,” it said.
A Reuters spokesperson said in a statement: “We are devastated to learn that cameraman Hussam al-Masri, a contractor for Reuters, was killed this morning in Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in Gaza. Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist whose work had been occasionally published by Reuters, was also killed, and photographer Hatem Khaled, a Reuters contractor, was wounded.”
“We are urgently seeking more information and have asked authorities in Gaza and Israel to help us get urgent medical assistance for Hatem,” the spokesperson added.
The AP said it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the deaths of Abu Dagga and other journalists, adding that Abu Dagga had often based herself at the hospital for coverage, which recently included stories on starving and malnourished children.
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