Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the fourth ground of southern Gaza’s foremost hospital Monday, killing a minimum of eight individuals together with a number of journalists, hospital officers informed CBS Information. An Official with the civil protection rescue company in Hamas-run Gaza mentioned later that a minimum of 15 individuals have been killed within the strike in whole.
Civil protection spokesman Mahmud Bassal informed journalists on the scene that “the dying toll is 15, together with 4 journalists and one civil protection member,” based on the French information company AFP.
The victims have been killed in a double-tap strike on the hospital, with one missile hitting first, then one other moments later as rescue crews arrived, the well being ministry mentioned.
Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital, the most important in southern Gaza, has withstood raids and bombardment all through 22 months of warfare, with officers citing crucial shortages of provides and employees.
Abdallah F.S. Alattar/Anadolu/Getty
Requested concerning the strike and the journalists who have been among the many victims, the Israel Protection Forces issued a press release confirming the assault and including that it will “conduct an preliminary inquiry as quickly as attainable,” and that it regretted “any hurt to uninvolved people and doesn’t goal journalists as such.”
Israel has come underneath mounting strain over the variety of journalists being killed in its navy operations in Gaza — together with in focused strikes in opposition to people whom Israeli officers declare have been Hamas operatives.
A hospital official informed CBS Information that 4 journalists have been killed within the Monday morning double-tap strike at Nasser Hospital. The official recognized the 4 as Hossam al-Masri, who labored for the Reuters information company, Mohammed Salama, who labored for Al Jazeera, and freelance journalists Maryam Abu Daqqa and Moaz Abu Taha.
The Related Press’ information director for the Center East, Jon Gambrell, mentioned in a social media submit that Abu Daqqa had “freelanced for the AP because the Gaza warfare started.”
Reuters confirmed that al-Masri had labored for the worldwide information company. It mentioned photographer Hatem Khaled, who additionally labored as a contractor for the company, was wounded.
A minimum of one different journalist was wounded within the strike, a hospital official mentioned, figuring out the person as Haithem Omar, who additionally works for Reuters.
Israeli strikes and raids on hospitals are usually not unusual. A number of hospitals have been struck or raided throughout the Gaza Strip, with Israel claiming its assaults had focused militants working contained in the medical amenities, with out offering proof.
On August 11, Israel’s navy focused and killed 5 Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, together with correspondent Anas al-Sharif. The Israel Protection Forces mentioned it had intelligence and paperwork from Gaza to show al-Sharif was the top of a Hamas terrorist cell, and the IDF shared undated pictures of Al-Sharif with Yahya Sinwar, the highest Hamas chief in Gaza, who was killed final October.
CBS Information couldn’t confirm the authenticity of the pictures. Al Jazeera and al-Sharif had beforehand dismissed Israel’s claims as baseless, The Related Press reported. Simply three weeks in the past, al-Sharif had appealed to the Committee to Shield Journalists over fears he is likely to be assassinated.
AFP/AFPTV/AFP by way of Getty Photos 
A June strike on Nasser Hospital killed three individuals and wounded 10, based on the well being ministry. On the time, Israel’s navy mentioned it had focused Hamas militants working from a command and management middle contained in the hospital.
The Hamas-run well being ministry mentioned Sunday that a minimum of 62,686 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its warfare in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist assault that killed some 1,200 Israelis and noticed 251 others taken as hostages.
The ministry doesn’t distinguish in its figures between fighters and civilians, however it says round half of these killed have been ladies and youngsters. The U.N. and unbiased specialists contemplate it probably the most dependable info out there on warfare casualties, as such figures are tough to independently confirm as Israel doesn’t allow overseas journalists into Gaza.
Israel disputes its figures however has not offered its personal.
