expressed his displeasure regarding an attack on a Gaza hospital on Monday, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 individuals, among them five journalists and medical personnel.
Footage of the event, captured during a live broadcast on Egyptian television and authenticated by, depicted an explosion striking emergency responders who were engaged in a search for survivors at the site of a prior attack at the.
According to hospital officials who spoke to Reuters, medical staff and emergency personnel, who had hurried to assist those wounded in the initial strike, perished in the subsequent attack, alongside journalists covering the event.
“I am displeased by this. I wish not to witness such events. Concurrently, we must bring an end to this entire dreadful situation. I was responsible for securing the release of the hostages,” stated Trump in the Oval Office, in response to a reporter’s query concerning the strike.
Among the journalists who lost their lives were Mariam Abu Dagga, a freelance reporter associated with the Associated Press; Mohammed Salama, employed by Al Jazeera; Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist who collaborated with multiple news agencies, including Reuters; and Ahmed Abu Aziz, a contributor to.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the airstrike as a “tragic error,” asserting that Israel “respects the contributions of journalists, medical personnel, and all non-combatants.”
The Israeli military confirmed conducting a strike in the vicinity. “We are cognizant of accounts indicating harm to civilians, including journalists,” stated Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Effie Defrin, further mentioning that the occurrence would undergo an immediate investigation.
“The IDF does not purposefully target non-combatants. The IDF strives to minimize harm to individuals not involved in hostilities to the greatest extent possible, while simultaneously ensuring the safety of IDF personnel,” he further elaborated.
Reports from Israeli media indicated that the IDF had launched two artillery shells at the hospital.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) states that at least 192 journalists, 189 of whom were Palestinians, have died in Gaza during the 22-month conflict. The conflict has proven even more lethal for healthcare professionals, with over 1,500 fatalities,.
This event occurred two weeks subsequent to Israel killing four Al Jazeera journalists in a.
French President Emmanuel Macron added his voice to the global condemnation of the strike.
“This is unacceptable: civilians and journalists warrant protection in all situations. The media ought to be able to execute their duties without hindrance or bias to report on the conflict’s true nature,” he commented.
Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director, denounced the strikes, stating that Israel’s “ongoing killing of journalists in Gaza persists as the world observes, yet fails to respond decisively to the most egregious assaults the press has encountered in recent memory.”
“These killings must cease immediately. Those responsible should no longer be permitted to operate without consequence,” she further stated.
The conflict commenced following the Hamas terror assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and the capture of approximately 250 hostages. Since that time, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, as per the territory’s Health Ministry. The IDF’s internal figures indicate a.
Due to the lack of independent ground-level oversight, the Gaza Health Ministry serves as the principal provider of casualty statistics, which are utilized by humanitarian organizations, journalists, and global entities. Its reported numbers do not distinguish between non-combatants and combatants and cannot be verified independently by TIME.