The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that an investigation was underway after reports said that Israel has beaten a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, with at least 20 people being killed on Monday.
Netanyahu said that Israel regretted the deadly incident and repeated that Israel does not deliberately focus on civilians in his war with Hamas. Reports said among the dead were five journalists who worked for points of sale such as Reuters, The Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
“Israel deeply regrets the tragic accident that occurred today in the Nasser Hospital in Gaza,” said Netanyahu’s office in a statement.
“Israel appreciates the work of journalists, medical staff and all citizens. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are to beat Hamas and bring our hostages home.”
The compound image shows structural damage to the Nasser hospital next to Palestinians who bear the body of a journalist after the strikes; Authorities said at least 20 people, including five journalists, were killed. (Reuters/Hatem Khaled)
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Reports, with reference to medical officials, said that two shells quickly met the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. Israeli media reported that Israeli troops had fired the artillery rounds in the hospital to focus on a Hamas monitoring camera on the roof.
Cameraman Hussam Al-Masri, a Reuters contractor, was killed near a live broadcast position on a top floor just below the roof in the first strike, said Palestinian health officials.
Israel then hit the site again and killed extra journalists and rescue workers and doctors who had brought in to help, hospital officials and witnesses told Reuters.
IDF spokesperson Brig. Gene. Effie Defrin repeated the comments from Netanyahu and emphasized that the army is doing every effort to mitigate civil damage and at the same time guarantee troop safety.
“We work in an extremely complex reality. Hamas terrorists deliberately use civil infrastructure, including hospitals, as shields,” said Defrin in a video posted on social media. “They even had surgery from the Nasser hospital itself. Hamas started this war, created impossible fighting conditions and prevents the end by still holding 50 of our hostages.”
A man is investigating broadcasting equipment damaged by Israeli strikes at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel regrets the incident in the Nasser Hospital and will investigate the strikes (Reuters/Hatem Khaled)
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Defrin said that Israel will adhere to international obligations and “will thoroughly and professionally investigate the deadly incident.”
“Reporting from an active war zone entails a huge risk, especially in a war with a terrorist organization such as Hamas, which cynically hides behind the civilian population,” he added.
The other killed journalists were identified as Mariam Abu Dagga, who freelanced for the Associated Press and other points of sale; Mohammed Salama, who worked for Al Jazeera; Moaz Abu Taha, a freelancer who contributed to various news organizations, including Reuters; and Ahmed Abu Aziz.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel regrets the incident in the Nasser Hospital and will investigate the strikes. (Getty Images/Jim Watson)
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Photographer Hatem Khaled, also a contractor from Reuters, was injured.
