GAZA HOSPITAL STRIKE KILLS 5 JOURNALISTS, INCLUDING AP FREELANCER

2025-08-25 18:00:40.908

Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza killed five journalists, according to health officials. Among the victims was Mariam Dagga, a 33-year-old freelance journalist for the Associated Press, who had recently reported on children suffering from starvation at the same hospital. The AP expressed shock and sadness, stating they are working to ensure the safety of their remaining journalists in Gaza. Two strikes hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, resulting in a total of 20 deaths. The Israeli military said it conducted a strike in the area, targeting a Hamas surveillance camera, and would investigate the incident, regretting any harm to uninvolved individuals. Other news organizations, including Al Jazeera and Reuters, also confirmed the deaths of their staff members in the attack. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 189 journalists have been killed in Gaza during the 22-month conflict, highlighting the extreme danger faced by media workers in the region. Many journalists in Gaza, like Dagga, face the same struggles as the people they cover, including food shortages and displacement. The incident drew sharp criticism from press freedom advocates, who called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to address Israel's failure to protect journalists. Israel has barred international media from covering the war, relying largely on Palestinian journalists, often questioning their affiliations and biases. The Foreign Press Association appealed to international leaders to protect journalists in Gaza.