In a tragic incident in Deir al-Balah, southern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeted Nasser Hospital on Monday, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals, as reported by hospital records. The casualties, including four journalists, occurred on the fourth floor of the hospital when one missile hit, followed closely by another, just as rescue crews were arriving. Nasser Hospital, the largest medical facility in southern Gaza, has endured ongoing bombardments throughout the protracted conflict, facing severe shortages of supplies and medical staff.
Among the deceased was 33-year-old Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist for The Associated Press, who covered the struggles of Nasser Hospital's doctors in treating children suffering from starvation. Both Al Jazeera and Reuters confirmed that their journalists were also among the victims of this recent airstrike. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become increasingly dangerous for media professionals, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting a total of 192 journalists killed in Gaza throughout the 22-month war.
As of the latest updates, neither the Israeli military nor the office of the Prime Minister provided an immediate response regarding the airstrike on Nasser Hospital. In addition to the fatalities at Nasser Hospital, medical officials in northern Gaza reported separate fatalities due to strikes and gunfire on routes towards aid distribution sites. In Gaza City, three Palestinians, including a child, were killed when Israel conducted strikes in the area where a broader ground invasion is anticipated. Shifa Hospital confirmed these deaths, emphasizing the ongoing dangers faced by civilians in the war-torn region.
Furthermore, Al-Awda Hospital reported that six aid-seekers striving to reach a distribution point in central Gaza were killed by Israeli gunfire, with an additional 15 individuals wounded in the incident. Again, the Israeli military did not respond to inquiries concerning the attack on aid workers. Strikes and raids on hospitals in Gaza have become increasingly common, with Israel often claiming that its attacks target militants believed to be operating within these medical facilities, though it has yet to provide substantial evidence for these claims.
There have been prior instances of airstrikes on Nasser Hospital, including a June incident that resulted in three deaths and ten injuries. At that time, Israeli military officials stated that they were targeting Hamas militants operating from a command center situated within the hospital. Similarly, a March strike on the hospital's surgical unit occurred shortly after a ceasefire broke down, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
The Palestinian health ministry reported a staggering toll, stating that at least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed during the duration of the conflict, although it does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. It is estimated that about half of those killed are women and children, and independent experts, along with the United Nations, regard the health ministry's figures as the most credible source regarding war casualties, despite Israeli authorities disputing these numbers without providing alternative figures.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with continued airstrikes and a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by insufficient medical resources, particularly in light of ongoing violence and instability in the region.
