Israel Accused of Double-Tap Strike Killing 5 Journalists and 20 Others at Gaza Hospital

Attack on Nasser Hospital

• 🎯 An Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, including five Palestinian journalists.
• 💥 Eyewitnesses describe a "double-tap" strike: an initial drone hit on the hospital roof, followed by a second strike that hit journalists and rescue workers responding to the first.
• 📍 The attack targeted the fourth floor, where journalists sought signal for their electronic SIM cards due to Israel's collapse of Gaza's telecommunication infrastructure.

Identified Journalists and Their Work

• 📸 Hosam Masri, a Reuters photojournalist, was on the roof setting up a live stream when the first strike occurred.
• 📰 Mariam Abu Daka, a freelancer with the Associated Press, was profiling children in the hospital and had previously covered protests, losing her brother during the current conflict.
• 💔 Muhammad Salama, a photojournalist with Al Jazeera, was recently engaged and preparing for marriage.
• 🎤 Moaz Abu Taha (NBC) and Ahmed Abu Aziz were also among the journalists killed.

Broader Context of Journalist Deaths

• 🕯️ At least 244 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza over the past 23 months, a number surpassing casualties in Vietnam and World War II.
• 🗣️ Muhammad Shehada notes that Israel's response of "investigating" is a tactic to buy time, similar to past incidents where investigations yielded no results.
• ⚖️ He criticizes Israeli investigations as a "sham" and "theater plays" designed to whitewash atrocities, citing the unwillingness and incapacity of the military to conduct impartial inquiries.

Escalating Crisis in Gaza

• 📉 The attack on Nasser Hospital followed a day where Israeli forces killed at least 64 Palestinians, primarily in the north.
• 🏚️ Israel has reportedly destroyed over a thousand buildings in Gaza City's Zetun and Saber neighborhoods.
• 💔 Health officials report 11 more deaths from malnutrition in 24 hours, with at least 300 Palestinians having starved to death.
• 🌍 The UN formally declared a famine in the Gaza Strip on Friday.