Four Journalists Among 15 Killed in Israeli Strike on Gaza Hospital

Published: 25 August 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

At least fifteen people, including four international journalists, were reported killed in an Israeli airstrike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, marking yet another devastating episode in the ongoing conflict that has gripped the region since October 2023. The casualties, confirmed by Gaza health officials and humanitarian sources, include media personnel from major global outlets, underscoring the extreme risks faced by journalists covering the hostilities.

Among those killed were Husam al-Masri, a cameraman for Reuters; Mariam Dagga, a freelance journalist working with the Associated Press; and Mohammad Salama and Moaz Abu Taha of Al Jazeera. The identity of the fourth journalist has not yet been independently confirmed. Several other individuals were killed when a second missile struck the same hospital floor as rescuers attempted to aid the wounded, according to Hamas-run Civil Defence authorities.

Video footage from the hospital depicts chaotic scenes: a doctor holding bloodied garments to alert journalists moments after the initial strike, followed by a second explosion, sending people fleeing for cover as glass shattered and smoke billowed from the building. Survivors and witnesses described the scene as frantic, with ambulances arriving amid cries and confusion.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike and confirmed that an investigation into the incident is underway. In a statement, the IDF insisted that journalists are not targeted as such, but no further operational details were provided regarding the hospital strike.

The fatalities bring the total number of journalists killed in Gaza since the onset of the war to nearly 200, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a leading international organisation monitoring press freedom. CPJ has described the ongoing conflict in Gaza as the deadliest environment for journalists documented in modern history, noting that more media professionals have died in the past two years in the region than worldwide in the preceding three years.

International journalists have been largely barred from entering Gaza independently since the beginning of the conflict. Some have been permitted entry under strict IDF supervision, though media organisations continue to rely heavily on local reporters to provide coverage from inside the territory.

Monday’s attack comes just two weeks after a separate strike near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City killed six journalists, including four from Al Jazeera. That attack drew international condemnation, with the UN human rights office deeming it a grave breach of international law. The IDF justified the earlier strike by alleging that one of the journalists, Anas al-Sharif, had acted as the head of a Hamas terrorist cell—a claim for which independent evidence has not been presented, according to CPJ.

The ongoing conflict traces back to 7 October 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 Israeli citizens who were taken to Gaza as hostages. Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign, which, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in the deaths of more than 62,686 Palestinians—a figure the United Nations considers reliable.

Humanitarian organisations and press freedom advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about the escalating risks to civilians and journalists alike, emphasizing the urgent need for protection and accountability. The repeated targeting of healthcare facilities and media personnel has intensified international scrutiny, drawing calls from global institutions for impartial investigations and respect for international humanitarian law.

As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the deaths of journalists serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict and the profound challenges faced by those reporting from its front lines.