TEHRAN — Five journalists were killed in the Gaza Strip on Monday when Israeli strikes hit Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, intensifying concerns over the targeting of media personnel amid the regime’s ongoing military campaign. At least 20 people were killed in the attack.

The journalists who died include Hussam al-Masri of Reuters, Mariam Abu Dagga of the Associated Press, Mohammed Salam of Al Jazeera, photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha, and Ahmad Abu Aziz of Quds Feed.

A video shared by Alghad TV showed civil defense workers and journalists, wearing bright orange vests, being struck by a bomb while attempting to rescue al-Masri’s body. The Guardian reported that, in the moments before their deaths, the journalists raised their hands in a defensive gesture but were still killed in the explosion.

In a statement, the Gaza Media Office condemned the attack, saying, “The journalist colleagues were martyred when the Israeli occupation committed a horrific crime by bombing a group of journalists who were on a press coverage mission at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis Governorate. Many martyrs fell victim to this crime.” The statement also held Israel, the United States, and other countries participating in the “genocide crime,” including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, fully responsible.

The Associated Press expressed shock and sadness over Abu Dagga’s death, emphasizing its efforts to keep journalists safe while reporting under extremely dangerous conditions. Reuters described the news of al-Masri’s death as “devastating” and said it was urgently seeking medical assistance for other injured colleagues. Al Jazeera condemned the attack as “a clear intent to bury the truth,” reaffirming its commitment to reporting on the conflict despite repeated targeting of its staff.

This latest incident comes less than two weeks after Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and four colleagues were killed near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. 
The Israeli military has ordered a preliminary investigation into the Monday killing of the journalists. However, independent reports show that the vast majority of Israeli investigations into alleged war crimes are closed or unresolved. The investigation into the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh remains unfinished.

International media access to Gaza has been severely restricted for 22 months, leaving Palestinian journalists to operate under extreme conditions, facing threats of starvation, injury, and death. According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, more than 240 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched war on the territory on October 7, 2023.

Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, over 62,700 people have also been killed and more than 158,000 wounded.