ROX• TV | Massacre at Nasser: Five journalists among 20 killed in Israeli strikes

Israel struck one of the main hospitals in the Gaza Strip with a missile Monday and then fired another as journalists and rescue workers rushed to the scene, killing at least 20 people and wounding scores more, local health workers in Hamas-run Gaza said. At least five journalists were among those killed, health officials and their employers said.

It was among the deadliest of several Israeli strikes that have hit both hospitals and journalists over the course of the 22-month war sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and the attack came as Israel plans to widen its offensive to heavily populated areas.

The first strike hit a top floor of a building at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Minutes later, as journalists and rescuers in orange vests rushed up an external staircase, a second missile hit, said Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of Nasser's pediatrics department.

Nasser Hospital, the largest in southern Gaza, has withstood raids and bombardment throughout 22 months of war, with officials citing critical shortages of supplies and staff.
Asked about the strike and journalists being among the victims, the Israel Defense Forces issued a statement saying it had carried out an attack and adding that it would "conduct an initial inquiry as soon as possible," adding that it regretted "any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such."
In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that Israel "deeply regrets the tragic mishap" that occurred at the hospital in Gaza.

"Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians," the statement said. "The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation. Our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home."

A hospital official initially told CBS News that four journalists were killed in the Monday morning double-tap strike at the hospital. The official identified the four as Hossam al-Masri, who worked for the Reuters news agency, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Al Jazeera, and freelance journalists Maryam Abu Daqqa and Moaz Abu Taha.

The Associated Press' news director for the Middle East, Jon Gambrell, said in a social media post that Abu Daqqa had "freelanced for the AP since the Gaza war began.