Israeli Strikes on Gaza Hospitals Kill at Least 20, Injure Scores

Strategic Insights -

Israeli airstrikes on two main hospitals in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 20 people, including five journalists, and injured dozens more, local health workers said. The strikes, which occurred on Monday, were part of a wider Israeli campaign to target Hamas in the region. The attacks have raised concerns about the safety of journalists and civilians in the war-torn area.

Key Takeaways:

  • The initial strike on the Nasser Hospital killed at least two people, and the second strike on the stairwell killed another 18, including five journalists.
  • The journalists killed included Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old visual journalist who worked for the Associated Press, and three other journalists working for Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Middle East Eye.
  • The strikes were part of a wider Israeli campaign to target Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with Israel planning to widen its offensive to heavily populated areas.
  • The Israeli military has launched an internal investigation into the strikes, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office called the strike a "tragic mishap."
  • The Foreign Press Association has called on Israel to "halt its abhorrent practice of targeting journalists."
  • The UN Secretary-General and several countries, including Britain, France, and the US, have condemned the attack.
  • The war has resulted in the deaths of at least 62,686 Palestinians, including women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
  • Israel disputes the figures, but has not provided its own.
  • The war began in 2023, when Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

Statistics:

  • At least 20 people were killed in the strikes on the Nasser Hospital.
  • Scores of people were injured, including around 80 people wounded, including many in the hospital's courtyard.
  • 189 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israel during the campaign, including some who were directly targeted and others who were killed among other strike casualties.
  • More than 1,500 health workers have been killed, according to the United Nations.
  • The war has resulted in the deaths of at least 62,686 Palestinians, including women and children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

Sources:

  • The Associated Press
  • The Canadian Press
  • Reuters
  • Al Jazeera
  • Middle East Eye
  • Gaza Health Ministry
  • United Nations
  • Israel's Prime Minister's office
  • Committee to Protect Journalists