At least 15 people, including four journalists, were killed Monday when Israeli airstrikes struck al-Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, Palestinian health authorities confirmed.
The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents targeting media personnel in the ongoing conflict.
Among the journalists killed were Hussam al-Masri, a cameraman with Reuters; Mariam Abu Dagga, a freelance reporter for the Associated Press; Mohammed Salam from Al Jazeera; and Moaz Abu Taha of NBC.
Another Reuters photographer, Hatem Khaled, sustained serious injuries in the strike.
Footage from al-Ghad TV captured civil defence teams and journalists in bright orange vests attempting to recover al-Masri’s body, only to come under fire themselves.
The rescuers were seen raising their hands in a last-ditch effort to shield themselves before being struck.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the killings, saying they reflect a “deliberate and systematic attempt to silence reporting from Gaza.”
Since October 7, 2023, at least 192 Palestinian journalists have been killed, surpassing the global total of the previous three years combined.
Data compiled by the CPJ indicates that nearly one-third of all journalists killed worldwide in 2024 were in Gaza.
Al Jazeera reports that the number of journalists killed in the region now exceeds the combined totals from both World Wars, the Vietnam War, the Yugoslav conflicts, and the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
October 2023 alone accounted for 44 journalist deaths, roughly 16% of the total, with subsequent months seeing continued fatalities: 32 in November, 37 in December, and 17 in January 2024.
Of those killed, 269 were Palestinian, three were Lebanese, and two were Israelis.
Despite mounting international pressure, Israel continues to bar foreign journalists from entering Gaza, prompting protests from global news organisations.
The CPJ also highlighted the targeted killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and three colleagues in late July.
They were reportedly killed eighteen days after Israeli authorities accused Al-Sharif of militant affiliations.
“Killing witnesses to the story means the story is instead told by those doing the shooting,” CPJ warned.
No immediate response has been issued by the Israeli prime minister’s office or military regarding the latest fatalities.