At least 15 people, including four journalists, were killed on Monday when Israeli strikes hit the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to the health ministry. The victims included Mohammad Salama of Al Jazeera, Hossam Al-Masri of Reuters, Mariam Abu Daqqa of Independent Arabia and the Associated Press, and Moaz Abu Taha of NBC. Reuters photographer Hatem Khaled was also injured. Ambulance workers and civil defence staff were among those killed while trying to rescue people trapped inside the hospital.

The attack was reportedly carried out by a suicide drone that struck the upper floors of the hospital, where several journalists were stationed. Minutes later, as rescue teams rushed in, a second strike hit the area in what officials described as a deliberate “double-tap” strike. The targeting of Nasser Hospital, one of the largest remaining medical facilities in Gaza, comes amid growing warnings from the United Nations and humanitarian groups that the territory’s healthcare system is on the verge of total collapse due to repeated attacks, lack of medicine, and electricity shortages.

This latest incident underscores the extreme dangers faced by journalists in Gaza, which has become the deadliest conflict zone for media workers. Since October 7, 2023, more than 250 journalists have lost their lives in the war, according to press freedom groups. The Gaza health ministry reported that at least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s military campaign, with thousands more feared buried under rubble. The international community has raised alarms over the targeting of hospitals, warning that it will further devastate Gaza’s already crippled healthcare infrastructure.