Hamas rejects Israel’s claim that its attack on Nasser Hospital killed fighters, as journalists and medics are among the dead.
When Israeli warplanes struck Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Monday, 21 people were killed, including journalists, medics, and rescue workers. Among the dead was Mariam Abu Daqqa, a Palestinian photojournalist whose blood-stained camera was carried at her funeral.
The Israeli military later said the attack targeted a Hamas surveillance camera it claimed was monitoring troop movements. Officials said six Hamas fighters were also killed.
But Hamas has disputed that version of events. In a statement reported by Reuters, the group said none of the victims were its members. It also insisted that two of the men named by Israel were not killed in the hospital strike at all, but at other times and locations, including one in al-Mawasi.
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation. The European Union called the strike “completely unacceptable,” while human rights groups accused Israel of committing war crimes by targeting civilians and first responders.
A Double-Tap Strike
According to witnesses and video evidence, the strike followed a “double-tap” pattern: the first missile hit the hospital area, and minutes later, a second strike killed those rushing to help. Among them were four journalists — Ahmed Abu Aziz, Mohammad Salama, Moaz Abu Taha, and Abu Daqqa — as well as rescue workers.
Reuters confirmed that its cameraman, Hussam al-Masri, was killed when the initial strike cut short his live feed. Footage showed the moment of the second explosion, capturing the deaths of those who had run to assist.
Israel defended the strike by saying it was targeting Hamas infrastructure. “In light of this, the force acted to destroy the camera,” the Israeli army said in a statement.
Mounting Civilian Toll
Israel has long maintained that its military campaign in Gaza is aimed at dismantling Hamas. But critics argue that the cost has been borne by ordinary Palestinians. Rights monitors say more than 80 percent of those killed in the conflict have been civilians.
Humanitarian groups have warned that hospitals and journalists should never be considered legitimate targets. “Attacks on medical facilities and the press strip away the protections guaranteed under international law,” said one rights advocate.
For grieving families, the arguments over military justifications mean little. At Abu Daqqa’s funeral, her colleagues carried her camera, still marked with her blood — a stark symbol of the risks borne by Gaza’s reporters.
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