Credited from: TRTGLOBAL
An Israeli military strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis left at least 20 people dead, including five journalists, prompting widespread condemnation from global leaders and organizations. The assault has drawn attention to the ongoing violence in Gaza, with the UN demanding accountability and justice for the affected, particularly for the slain journalists, who were regarded as critical witnesses to the conflict, according to aa.
Israeli military authorities stated that the strikes targeted a Hamas surveillance camera they believed was being used to monitor IDF troop movements. However, no evidence has been presented to substantiate claims that militants were present or that the targeted camera posed a legitimate threat, leading to accusations of deliberate targeting of medical and journalistic staff, according to scmp and dawn.
The strikes were carried out as a "double-tap," a tactic where a second strike targets those responding to the initial attack, a method that has drawn international scrutiny and accusations of violating humanitarian law. The attack occurred shortly after a live video feed from Reuters was disrupted when their cameraman, Hussam al-Masri, was killed, highlighting the dangers faced by journalists in active conflict zones, according to accounts from multiple sources, including latimes, channelnewsasia, and africanews.
In light of these tragic events, the UN Human Rights Office expressed deep concern over the lack of accountability for these incidents, stating that previous investigations by Israeli authorities into similar incidents have not yielded satisfactory results. The increasing death toll of journalists in Gaza, reported to be over 246 since October 2023, prompted urgent calls for reform and protection measures within conflict zones, echoing comments made by spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan, as emphasized by bbc and trtglobal.
The aftermath of the strikes has incited protests across Israel urging for a ceasefire and calls for negotiation regarding hostages taken by Hamas. The growing discontent among citizens is reflected in public demonstrations and statements from those impacted by the conflict, as detailed by various news reports from sources such as latimes, trtglobal, and dawn.