Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20

Palestinian journalists Moaz Abu Taha and Mariam Dagga, both killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital

(Image credit: Bashar Taleb / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

Israel Monday struck Nasser hospital in southern Gaza, killing two people, then hit it again minutes later, killing at least 18 others, including rescuers and journalists who had rushed to the scene. The five journalists killed worked for The Associated Press, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye, a U.K.-based outlet.

Who said what

In a joint letter to Israel, the AP and Reuters said they were "outraged" that freelance journalists Mariam Dagga and Moaz Abu Taha, Abu Aziz, Hussam al-Masri and Mohammed Salama "were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law." It appears Israel met "none" of the legal conditions to attack a hospital, Adil Haque, an expert on the law of armed conflict at Rutgers University, told The Washington Post. And it's "rarely lawful to carry out 'double-tap' strikes on the same target in a populated area."

Israel has "attacked hospitals multiple times throughout the war," often asserting without evidence that "Hamas embeds itself in and around the facilities," the AP said. Gaza's remaining hospitals "have been overwhelmed by the dead, wounded and now by increasing numbers of malnourished," the subject of Dagga's recent reporting.

The Israel Defense Forces said it "regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such." According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Israel has killed 189 Palestinian journalists in its Gaza campaign, some deliberately. The United Nations says more than 1,500 health workers have been killed.

What next?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel "deeply regrets the tragic mishap" and was investigating the strikes.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.