Double-tap strike hits fourth floor of Khan Younis facility, raising alarm over attacks on medical centers
New Delhi: August 25, 2025
Gaza health authorities confirmed that an Israeli strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis killed 15 individuals, among them four journalists. The attack hit the hospital’s fourth floor, an area that had remained operational despite months of conflict.
Double-Tap Strike Targets First Responders
According to hospital staff and eyewitnesses, the assault followed a double-tap pattern—the first missile struck the building, followed shortly by a second that hit those attempting rescue operations. This left medical workers and journalists among the casualties.
Journalists Among the Victims
The airstrike claimed the lives of several well-known media professionals:
Hussam al-Masri, cameraman for Reuters
Mariam Abu Dagga, freelance photojournalist contributing to the Associated Press
Mohammed Salama, reporter for Al Jazeera
Moaz Abu Taha, NBC journalist
The attack left Reuters photojournalist Hatem Khaled with severe injuries. Journalist associations strongly condemned the incident, calling it a dangerous escalation and another severe attack on press freedom.
Blow to Gaza’s Fragile Healthcare System
Before the attack, Nasser Hospital was among the largest and last functioning hospitals in southern Gaza, already under immense strain from nearly two years of continuous conflict. The latest strike has further crippled its operations, leaving patients and staff trapped inside damaged wards and reducing already limited medical capacity.
Mounting Death Toll Among Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) states that approximately 192 journalists have lost their lives in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate places the toll even higher, at more than 240 deaths. Rights groups say this latest attack underscores the extreme dangers faced by media workers and raises urgent concerns about the deliberate targeting of both press and medical institutions.
