Gaza | International — At least 20 people were killed, including five journalists, when Israeli forces struck the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, drawing widespread condemnation from world leaders, press freedom groups, humanitarian organizations, and the United Nations.
The fallen journalists were working for Reuters, the Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and other outlets, covering the ongoing war. Rights advocates and international officials say the attack marks a dangerous escalation in the targeting of media and healthcare workers.
Condemnations from Press Freedom & Journalists’ Groups
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): Condemned the strike and urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for its “continued unlawful attacks on the press.”
- Palestinian Journalists Syndicate: Called it a “heinous crime” and “direct, deliberate targeting” aimed at silencing media coverage of Israeli actions.
- Foreign Press Association (Jerusalem): Demanded an immediate explanation from Israeli authorities and appealed to world leaders to protect journalists.
Statements from World Leaders & International Bodies
- U.S. President Donald Trump: Said he was “not happy” about the attack and called for an end to the “nightmare.”
- French President Emmanuel Macron: Declared the killings “intolerable,” stressing journalists must be protected “in all circumstances.”
- Qatari Foreign Ministry: Urged decisive international action to ensure protection of journalists, medics, and civilians.
- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres (via spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric): Strongly condemned the killings, calling for a “prompt, impartial investigation.”
- U.N. Human Rights Office (Ravina Shamdasani): Said the killing of journalists “should shock the world — not into silence, but into action.”
- U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen: Expressed being “appalled” and said the killing of journalists in Gaza “needs to end now.”
Humanitarian Organizations Respond
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Noted healthcare facilities and workers have repeatedly been targeted, accusing Israel of silencing witnesses to its “genocidal campaign.”
- WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: Urged an end to attacks on health care, reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire.
- UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini: Warned that silencing journalists reporting on famine and child deaths is “shocking” and demanded unrestricted humanitarian access.
Escalating Concerns
The strike comes amid ongoing reports of deliberate targeting of Gaza’s healthcare facilities, journalists, and aid workers. Rights groups warn that such attacks amount to grave breaches of international law and underscore the urgent need for accountability.
The international community is being called upon to ensure the protection of journalists, humanitarian workers, and civilians in Gaza, while pressing for an immediate ceasefire to halt the escalating civilian toll.
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