Four Journalists Among 20 Civilians Killed in Israeli Airstrike

GAZA CITY — Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killed five journalists on Monday, August 25, 2025. The Gaza Health Ministry reported 20 total deaths in the double strike, which Israel called a “tragic mishap” targeting a Hamas surveillance camera, according to Israeli media. The military is investigating and stated it does not target journalists. 

Among those killed was freelance journalist Mariam Dagga, age 33, who recently reported for The Associated Press on child starvation at the facility. Dagga lived the struggles she covered, facing displacement and food scarcity. Her 13-year-old son was evacuated earlier in the war.

Other victims included Mohammed Salama (Al Jazeera), Hussam al-Masri and Moaz Abu Taha (Reuters contractors), and Ahmad Abu Aziz (Middle East Eye). The strikes hit an exterior staircase where journalists often worked, with video showing a second explosion shortly after the first.

The Israel-Hamas war has been deadly for media, with 189 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza since the conflict began, per the Committee to Protect Journalists. AP and Reuters demanded explanations, emphasizing journalists’ protected status under international law. Reporters Without Borders called for a U.N. Security Council meeting to address Israel’s failure to protect journalists. Israel has restricted international media access to Gaza, relying on local journalists like Dagga to report on the conflict.

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