An Israeli strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza on Monday killed at least 20 people, including healthcare workers and journalists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack a “tragic mishap” and launched an investigation, claiming Hamas militants were killed in the strike. Critics and press freedom advocates accuse Israel of failing to provide accountability and in some cases intentionally targeting journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented 189 Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces in Gaza over the course of the war, including Israeli journalists killed by Hamas when the U.S.-designated terrorist group launched its attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The Nasser Hospital strike was particularly shocking for press freedom advocates and audiences who watched in real time as rescue workers and journalists were bombarded a second time. The Israeli military initially identified a camera positioned by Hamas, observing Israeli troop activity and posing a threat. The Israeli military said it killed six “terrorists” in the strike, including four members of Hamas, a member of Islamic jihad, and one person it said participated in the Oct. 7 attacks. Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir instructed further investigation into “several gaps,” looking into the authorization process prior to the strike, including the ammunition approved for the strike and timing of the authorization.
The Israeli government has been denying international journalists access to Gaza, citing safety concerns and limiting their ability to report on the ongoing conflict. This has left Palestinian journalists in Gaza as the primary sources for information on the ground. Israeli spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin blames Hamas for deliberately using civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as shields. President Trump’s position on the war has shifted from raising concern over starvation in Gaza to supporting an expanded Israeli military operation.
There is a stark partisan divide in Congress over Israel’s actions, with some Democrats speaking out against Israel’s war conduct and Republicans almost uniformly supporting Israel’s actions and explanations. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for the end to the war and expressed concern over the hospital bombing and journalists’ death. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, pointed to Israel’s claims that Hamas embeds itself in hospitals and uses civilians as human shields.
U.S. pressure has an impact on how Israel responds to devastating civilian deaths and those of journalists, according to Middle East correspondent Nissenbaum. His documentary cited an anonymous U.S. official concluding that Abu Akleh was intentionally shot by an Israeli soldier, despite public statements from the former Biden administration supporting Israel’s conclusion that the shooting was unintentional.
The failure to hold Israel accountable for the killing of an American journalist has increased attention on press safety, calling for more pressure from foreign governments, particularly the U.S., as the only bodies that can exercise leverage for change.
