HAMILTON, Canada

UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang on Tuesday "strongly" condemned the latest Israeli attack on Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.

"President of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang strongly condemns the Israeli strikes at the Nasser hospital," General Assembly spokesperson Sharon Birch said during a news conference.

Stressing that "the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, of journalists, and of medical personnel is unacceptable," Yang demanded an end to such attacks.

He reiterated "his urgent demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza," as he called on Israel to allow humanitarian organizations "full, rapid, safe and unhindered access" to deliver aid to those in need across the Gaza Strip.

He also urged for hostages held in Gaza to be released. 

At least 47 Palestinians, including six journalists, were killed on Monday, and dozens were injured in fresh Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to medics.

The Health Ministry initially said 20 people were killed, including five journalists and a firefighter, in an Israeli strike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

It said the Israeli army hit the fourth floor of one of the complex’s buildings with two airstrikes, noting that the second strike occurred as rescue teams arrived to evacuate the wounded and recover the dead.

Among the deceased was Hussam al-Masri, who worked as a photojournalist for the Reuters news agency, while the Qatari channel Al Jazeera confirmed that its photographer Mohammad Salama was also killed.

A medical source confirmed to Anadolu the death of photojournalist Mariam Abu Dagga.

Photojournalist Moaz Abu Taha was also killed in the Israeli strike targeting the hospital.

Medical sources also told Anadolu that Ahmed Abu Aziz, a freelance reporter with Tunisian and Moroccan news sites, died of injuries he sustained in the Israeli strike.

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.