Netanyahu says ‘tragic mishap’ fuelled Gaza hospital strikes that killed 20, including five journalists

JTA -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described two strikes on a hospital in the Gaza Strip on Monday, 25 August, that killed about 20, including five journalists, as a “tragic mishap”.

The first strike on Monday hit the upper floor of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing at least two people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The second strike came as ambulance crews and journalists arrived at the scene, in what is known as a “double tap” strike.

Five journalists affiliated with Reuters, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, and Al Jazeera were killed, according to the outlets.

Associated Press said it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the killing of Mariam Dagga, 33, who had worked as a visual-media freelance journalist for the agency. Reuters said it was “devastated” by the killing of contract cameraman Hussam al-Masri.

“Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza,” Netanyahu’s office said. “Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation.”

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Effie Defrin confirmed in a post on X that an inquiry into the strikes had been launched, adding that the IDF “does not intentionally target civilians”, and accusing Hamas of operating from Nasser Hospital.

The strikes follow the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in a strike on a tent near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City earlier this month, including a well-known correspondent whom Israel had accused of being a Hamas fighter. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 197 journalists have been killed during Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, making it the deadliest conflict for journalists ever recorded by the group.

The killings on Monday, which also left dozens wounded, drew staunch condemnation from global leaders.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the strikes “intolerable” in a post on X, calling on Israel to “respect international law”.

“Horrified by Israel’s attack on Nasser Hospital. Civilians, healthcare workers, and journalists must be protected. We need an immediate ceasefire,” wrote United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a post on X.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres also strongly condemned the killings in a statement from a spokesperson, and called for a “prompt and impartial investigation”.

United States President Donald Trump appeared initially unaware of the strikes when asked by a reporter about them in the Oval Office on Monday, replying, “When did this happen?”

When pressed for a response, the president said, “I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare. I’m the one that got the hostages out.”