ISTANBUL 

A Palestinian health official accused the Israeli army on Thursday of deliberately targeting a hub for journalists at Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza before striking humanitarian workers who rushed to rescue them, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists.

In a video statement, Dr. Mohammed Saqer, the director of nursing at the hospital, said Israeli forces claimed there was a hidden camera on the fourth floor of the surgery building, but stressed this was false.

“This area, the stairs next to the operating theater, is a hub for journalists. All of us know this is a central hub for journalists. They put their cameras upstairs and deliver the news to local and international agencies. So it’s not a secret. It’s something known to us and to Israel,” he said.

Saqer added that Israeli authorities could have contacted hospital staff if they had concerns about the presence of journalists.

“They know our numbers. They sometimes contact us. If they had any objection related to the presence of journalists on the fourth floor, we could have fixed this. It’s not difficult. We could have asked journalists to come down and leave the place. But they have been using this area for a long time to deliver the news,” he explained.

He condemned Israel for launching a second strike as humanitarian staff attempted to evacuate the wounded.

“The shocking thing is why the Israeli air forces hit the journalists on the fourth floor and when we sent our humanitarian staff to rescue them, they attacked the humanitarian staff again. What’s the point of this? Why do you insist on killing us? We are working in a humanitarian area, in a health facility. We should be protected according to international regulations and rules,” he said.

At least 20 Palestinians, including five journalists and a firefighter, were killed and several others wounded Monday in the Israeli strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.

The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that the victims included patients, health workers, civil defense members and press crews. Among those killed were Palestine TV cameraman Hussam al-Masri, Al Jazeera photographer Mohammad Salama, freelance journalist Mariam Abu Dagga, photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha, and independent reporter Ahmed Abu Aziz. Another journalist, Hassan Douhan, was killed by Israeli fire elsewhere in Khan Younis the same day, raising the overall death toll of journalists since October 2023 to 246.

The deadly attack drew condemnation from media organizations. The Associated Press and Reuters demanded accountability in a joint letter to Israeli leaders, saying they were “outraged” that independent journalists were targeted inside a civilian hospital. They expressed doubts over Israel’s internal probes, noting that previous inquiries “rarely result in clarity or accountability.”

The Israeli army acknowledged the strike, claiming it does not intentionally target journalists, and announced an internal inquiry.

Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.